The House of Representatives has summoned Nigeria’s service chiefs and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, over the worsening security crisis ravaging parts of the country, particularly the North-West region.
The lawmakers reached the resolution on Tuesday after adopting a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Sulaiman Gumi, who represents Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency of Zamfara State.
During plenary, the House expressed concern over the growing spate of banditry, kidnappings, killings and mass abductions across Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi and Jigawa states, describing the situation as a major threat to national stability despite ongoing military operations.
Presenting the motion, Gumi said insecurity in Zamfara and neighbouring states had degenerated into a humanitarian emergency driven by armed banditry, kidnappings and the activities of transnational terrorist groups.
According to him, armed gangs riding motorcycles carried out coordinated attacks between June 1 and June 6 in several communities across the northwest, killing residents, abducting travellers and displacing thousands of people from their homes.
The lawmaker cited the abduction of seven students of the Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, from an off-campus hostel during an overnight attack between June 2 and June 3.
He also revealed that two senior lecturers of the institution had remained in captivity for over two months despite ransom payments allegedly made by their families and associates.
Gumi further recounted a recent attack in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State where four people were killed and several travellers kidnapped by armed bandits.
He added that a councillor and a local government director travelling in connection with arrangements for intending pilgrims were abducted in Talata Mafara Local Government Area before later being killed by their captors despite negotiations for their release.
The Zamfara lawmaker warned that the security challenge had expanded beyond Zamfara and now threatened the entire North-West region.
He referenced reports that at least 17 villagers were killed on May 31 when heavily armed bandits stormed Dangulbi community in Tureta Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
According to him, persistent attacks had forced residents to abandon more than 15 communities in Tureta and Sabon Birni local government areas.
Gumi also highlighted the abduction of retired Major General Rabe Batsari and his wife along the Marabar Musawa-Kafinsoli road in Katsina State on May 30.
He noted that several elderly residents had also been abducted in separate incidents and remained in captivity.
The lawmaker said communities in Kachia, Sanga and Birnin Gwari local government areas of Kaduna State continued to suffer recurring attacks, while border communities in Kano State had recorded incidents of killings, cattle rustling and kidnappings.
“The continuous and unchallenged movement of bandits between towns, states and their hideouts severely undermines the credibility of the nation’s security architecture,” Gumi told lawmakers.
He warned that failure to contain the crisis could cripple the social and economic foundations of the North-west region.
During the debate, lawmakers across party lines expressed frustration over the persistent insecurity and questioned the effectiveness of current security measures.
Many members demanded that the service chiefs, the NSA and other top security officials appear before the House in a closed-door session on Wednesday to explain the government’s response to the deteriorating situation.
A member representing Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency of Sokoto State, Abdussamad Dasuki, criticised what he described as repeated legislative resolutions without concrete outcomes.
“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 said.
“We cannot continue mandating without results.”
Dasuki also urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to approve the immediate recruitment of forest guards to secure forests and ungoverned areas often used as operational bases by criminal groups.
The proposal received broad support from lawmakers and was adopted by the House.
Also contributing to the debate, Stanley Olajide, representing Ibadan North-west/Ibadan South-west Federal Constituency of Oyo State, called for greater investment in technology-driven security infrastructure.
Olajide advocated improved surveillance systems, satellite monitoring and enhanced intelligence gathering capabilities to strengthen the fight against criminal elements.
Similarly, Olumide Osoba, representing Abeokuta North/Obafemi-Owode/Odeda Federal Constituency of Ogun State, urged state governments to deploy modern surveillance systems, including closed-circuit television cameras tailored to local security realities.
Several lawmakers also renewed calls for the creation of state police, arguing that decentralised policing would improve intelligence gathering and response time in local communities.
Following the debate, the House urged the Ministry of Defence to deploy additional personnel and operational equipment to Zamfara and other troubled North-west states.
Lawmakers also called on the Ministries of Agriculture, Environment, Education and Humanitarian Affairs, alongside relevant agencies, to pursue non-military strategies aimed at tackling the root causes of insecurity.
The House maintained that military operations alone would not resolve the crisis, stressing the need for economic, educational and humanitarian interventions in affected communities.
Speaker Abbas Tajudeen subsequently referred the motion to the Committees on Defence, Army and National Intelligence for further legislative action and directed the committees to report back within two weeks.
The latest intervention by the House comes amid mounting concerns over renewed attacks by bandits, kidnappers and armed groups across several parts of Nigeria, especially in the North-west where communities continue to grapple with mass abductions, attacks on villages and assaults on major highways.
