The House of Representatives has summoned the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, alongside the nation’s service chiefs and other top security officials to appear before lawmakers over the worsening security situation across the country.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance during Tuesday’s plenary, moved by Sulaiman Gumi, the lawmaker representing Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency of Zamfara State.
The service chiefs are Olufemi Oluyede, chief of defence staff; Waidi Shaibu, chief of army staff; Idi Abbas, chief of naval staff; and Sunday Aneke, chief of air staff.
The legislators also summoned Adeola Ajayi, the director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS); Taiwo Oyedele, the minister of finance; and Christopher Musa, the minister of defence.
Oyedele is expected to brief the lawmakers on the funds released for the procurement of military equipment needed to tackle the country’s security challenges.
The Reps asked the security chiefs to appear before the plenary on Wednesday, with deliberations to be held in closed session.
Lawmakers directed the officials to appear before the House on Wednesday for a closed-door session aimed at assessing the country’s security challenges and measures being taken to address them.
The House also requested that the finance minister provide details of funds released for the procurement of military hardware and other security equipment.
Zamfara killings raise alarm
Moving the motion, Gumi painted a grim picture of the security situation in Zamfara State and the wider North-West, describing it as a humanitarian crisis fuelled by banditry, kidnappings and the activities of armed groups with possible links to transnational jihadist networks.
According to him, armed bandits riding motorcycles launched coordinated attacks on communities within Gummi and Bukkuyum local government areas between June 1 and June 6, leaving at least 95 people dead.
He also drew attention to the abduction of seven students of the Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, who were kidnapped from their off-campus residence during a night raid between June 2 and June 3.
The lawmaker further disclosed that two senior lecturers of the institution had remained in captivity for over two months despite the payment of ransom by their families.
Gumi warned that the insecurity had spread beyond Zamfara to neighbouring states, including Sokoto, Katsina, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi and Jigawa, posing a major threat to regional stability and economic activities.
“If urgent action is not taken, the consequences for lives, livelihoods and development across the North-West could be devastating,” he cautioned.
Calls for state police, forest guards
During the debate, lawmakers proposed various measures to tackle the security crisis.
Chairman of the House Committee on Police Affairs, Abubakar Yelleman, urged the National Assembly to fast-track legislation establishing state police, arguing that decentralised policing would strengthen local security responses.
Similarly, Olumide Osoba, who represents Abeokuta North/Obafemi Owode/Odeda Federal Constituency of Ogun State, maintained that states could effectively manage their own police structures if adequate safeguards and oversight mechanisms were put in place.
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Meanwhile, Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Babajimi Benson, suggested a review of the country’s cashless policy. He argued that the traceability of electronic transactions has complicated ransom negotiations in kidnapping cases, making it difficult for abductors to receive payments.
Following a voice vote conducted by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, the motion was unanimously adopted.
The House subsequently called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately deploy forest guards across the country as part of efforts to strengthen security in rural and forested areas.
Lawmakers cited the recent intervention in Oyo State following the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area as a model that could be replicated nationwide.
The victims were kidnapped on May 15 after gunmen attacked Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Esiele; and LA Primary School in Ogbomoso, triggering widespread concern over the growing threat posed by armed criminal groups.
