Lawmakers Call Service Chiefs and Ribadu to Explain Rising Insecurity

The House of Representatives on Tuesday called Nigeria’s service chiefs and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to meet with lawmakers. They want answers about the growing insecurity in the country, especially in the North-west region.

This decision came after they adopted a motion of urgent public importance by Sulaiman Gumi, who represents Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency in Zamfara State.

The motion pointed out a number of deadly attacks, kidnappings, and mass abductions in Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, and Jigawa states. Lawmakers said these incidents show that the security situation is getting worse, even with ongoing military operations.

While presenting the motion, Mr Gumi explained that insecurity in Zamfara and the North-west has turned into a serious humanitarian crisis. He mentioned that armed banditry, kidnappings, and the presence of terrorist groups are fueling the crisis.

He expressed concern that from June 1 to June 6, armed bandits on motorcycles attacked several communities in Zamfara and nearby states. They killed residents, abducted travelers, and forced many people to flee their homes.

Mr Gumi highlighted the abduction of seven students from the Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda. This happened during an attack on the night of June 2, which continued into June 3.

He also mentioned that two senior lecturers from the school have been in captivity for over two months, even after their families paid ransom.

He recalled a recent attack in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara, where four people were killed and several travelers were kidnapped.

Mr Gumi added that bandits took a councillor and a local government director in Talata Mafara Local Government Area while they were making arrangements for intending pilgrims.

Sadly, these victims were killed by their captors despite attempts to negotiate their release.

He warned that the security crisis is no longer just a Zamfara issue. It has spread across the North-west.

He reported that on May 31, at least 17 villagers were killed when bandits invaded Dangulbi community in Tureta Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

Mr Gumi said ongoing attacks have forced residents to leave over 15 communities in Tureta and Sabon Birni local government areas.

He also mentioned the abduction of retired Major General Rabe Batsari and his wife on May 30 along the Marabar Musawa-Kafinsoli road in Katsina State.

He pointed out that many elderly people have also been taken in separate incidents and remain missing.

He noted that communities in Kachia, Sanga, and Birnin Gwari local government areas of Kaduna State face regular attacks. Border communities in Kano State have also seen killings, cattle rustling, and abductions.

Mr Gumi said the free movement of bandits between towns and states weakens the nation’s security system. He warned that if this continues, it could destroy the economy and social life in the North-west.

Debate

During the debate, lawmakers from different parties expressed their frustration over the worsening security situation. They questioned how effective current security strategies are.

Many called for the immediate appearance of security chiefs before parliament the next day to discuss the ongoing attacks and the government's response.

Abdussamad Dasuki, who represents Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency in Sokoto State, criticized the pattern of passing resolutions without real results.

He said, "We keep mandating committees and mandating ourselves. We should have the Minister of Defence, Minister of Finance, the NSA, service chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police here tomorrow in a closed-door session to explain this insecurity to us."

He added, "We cannot continue mandating without results."

Mr Dasuki also urged President Bola Tinubu to quickly approve the recruitment of forest guards across the country. This would help secure areas often used by bandits and terrorist groups.

His suggestion received widespread support and was adopted by the House.

Stanley Olajide, who represents Ibadan North-west/Ibadan South-west Federal Constituency of Oyo State, called for more investment in technology-driven security solutions.

He emphasized that the government must allocate more resources to surveillance technology, satellite monitoring systems, and intelligence gathering to help security agencies track criminals.

Olumide Osoba from Abeokuta North/Obafemi-Owode/Odeda Federal Constituency of Ogun State urged state governments to invest in modern surveillance systems.

He suggested putting closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems across states, tailored to local security needs.

Several lawmakers also called for the creation of state police, arguing that local policing would improve intelligence gathering and response times. They said the current centralised security system has struggled to handle local security threats.

Resolutions

After the debate, the House urged the Minister of Defence to send more security personnel and equipment to Zamfara State and other North-western states. This would strengthen ongoing security operations.

Lawmakers also asked the Ministries of Agriculture, Environment, Education, and Humanitarian Affairs to look into non-military approaches to address the root causes of insecurity.

The House said that military action alone won't solve the crisis. They stressed the need for economic, educational, and humanitarian efforts in affected communities.

Lawmakers mandated relevant committees to ensure these resolutions are followed and to report back in two weeks for further action.

Speaker Abbas Tajudeen referred the motion to the Committees on Defence, Army, and National Intelligence for further consideration.

Rising insecurity

This move by the House comes as concerns grow over renewed attacks by bandits, kidnappers, and other armed groups in many parts of Nigeria.

Recently, communities in the North-west have faced mass kidnappings, attacks on villages, assaults on schools, and ambushes on travelers along major roads.

Security experts have warned that ongoing banditry, along with extremist groups trying to gain a foothold in the North-west, poses a serious threat to national security and stability in the region.