The Senate on Wednesday engaged in an intense debate over the rising wave of insecurity across the country. The discussion was triggered by a motion from Senator Lola Ashiru (Kwara South), who urged the federal government to act swiftly as violence escalates in Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger states.
Ashiru drew attention to recent attacks — including the abduction of schoolchildren in Kebbi — and raised concerns about sudden military withdrawals and compromised operations.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin said the nation’s security problems can be resolved but will require stronger international cooperation. He stressed the need to seek assistance from global partners.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele described the current security challenges as a critical moment that demands decisive action. While welcoming the rescue of abducted victims, he questioned why there was no information on terrorists neutralized during the operation. Bamidele also warned lawmakers against political theatrics, referencing a call by some House members for a shutdown of the National Assembly.
He argued that the Senate must also review its internal mechanisms, expressing dissatisfaction with the performance of the Committee on Security and Intelligence. “If we are asking the President to overhaul the security architecture, we must also do the same here,” he said.
Opposition lawmaker Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe rejected attempts to blame previous administrations, insisting that the current government must take responsibility for failures happening under its watch. Citing reports that troops withdrew hours before the Kebbi school attack, he demanded accountability from the military.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio added that intelligence suggested the location of a brigadier general killed in Borno may have been compromised, raising fears of insider betrayal. He expressed shock that despite security warnings and training provided to students in Kebbi, bandits still stormed the school.
Tension rose when Senator Seriake Dickson accused the majority caucus of “managing the situation instead of confronting it,” prompting uproar and the cutting off of his microphone.
As some lawmakers continued to insist that security agencies know the locations of bandits, Akpabio warned against turning the crisis into a religious or ethnic issue. “This is an attack on the entire nation,” he said.
Defending President Bola Tinubu, Senator Adams Oshiomhole said the administration is grappling with a deeply rooted crisis. He demanded a full investigation into the troop withdrawal before the Kebbi attack, insisting that whoever ordered it should be charged with terrorism. The Senate adopted this demand as part of its resolutions.
Oshiomhole also questioned disparities in the justice system, noting that a convicted terrorist received a 20-year sentence while individuals who killed a bandit in self-defense were sentenced to death. Several lawmakers are now pushing for the death penalty for kidnappers.
