The Nigerian Senate is currently engaged in a heated debate over the nation’s worsening security situation, following a motion by Senator Lola Ashiru (Kwara South) on the urgent need to address escalating insecurity in Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger states, and the call for comprehensive federal intervention.
Senator Ashiru highlighted recent attacks, including the abduction of schoolchildren in Kebbi, and raised concerns over troop withdrawals and compromised military operations.
Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, described the security challenges as “surmountable” but emphasized the importance of international collaboration. “We should seek assistance from overseas, urging cooperation with global partners to stem the crisis,” he said.
Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, warned that Nigeria is at a critical juncture, describing the current wave of insecurity as a turning point that must not be treated as business as usual. While acknowledging the safe rescue of abducted captives, he expressed concern that no information has been released regarding the neutralization of the terrorists involved.
Bamidele also cautioned against political grandstanding, referencing recent calls by some House of Representatives members for a shutdown of the National Assembly. He urged the Senate to review its own structures, particularly the Committee on Security and Intelligence.
Opposition Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe stressed that the current administration must take responsibility for existing security lapses, citing reports that troops withdrew shortly before the Kebbi school attack. “Who asked them to withdraw? Nobody knows. If I were the Commander-in-Chief, I would demand answers,” he said.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio raised alarms over internal sabotage, noting reports that the location of a brigadier general killed in Borno was compromised. He also expressed concern that, despite security advisories and defensive training for students, bandits were able to invade the Kebbi school unhindered.
Tension peaked when Senator Seriake Dickson accused the majority caucus of managing rather than confronting the security crisis, prompting an uproar and the cutting off of his microphone by APC lawmakers.
Senator Akpabio condemned attempts to frame the crisis along religious or sectional lines, emphasizing that attacks affect all Nigerians equally.
Meanwhile, Senator Adams Oshiomhole defended President Bola Tinubu, acknowledging the difficulties faced by his administration, while calling for a probe into the military’s withdrawal before the Kebbi school abduction. “Who ordered the military to withdraw? That person should be tried for terrorism,” he said. Oshiomhole also criticized inconsistencies in the justice system, highlighting that convicted terrorists receive lighter sentences compared to individuals who kill bandits in self-defense.
Several lawmakers advocated for imposing the death penalty on kidnappers, reflecting the Senate’s urgency in addressing the security challenges.
The Senate adopted resolutions demanding investigations into troop withdrawals and called for strengthened security measures nationwide
