National Assembly Sounds Alarm on Security Collapse
In an unprecedented display of bipartisan concern, both chambers of Nigeria's National Assembly have declared the country's security situation at breaking point, warning that terrorists and bandits now overpower state security forces.
The rare emergency session held on November 27, 2025, saw lawmakers from all six geopolitical zones expressing outrage over the deteriorating security landscape, calling for immediate intervention and comprehensive overhaul of the nation's security architecture.
Lawmakers Demand Drastic Measures
The Senate has urgently called for the implementation of death penalty for kidnappers as a deterrent to the escalating abduction crisis affecting schools, worship centers, and rural communities nationwide.
During the special plenary session presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, legislators warned that criminal elements including terrorists, bandits, rustlers, and armed militias are overwhelming state capacity while governments at all levels fail to respond with necessary courage and urgency.
The Senate also recommended urgent amendments to Nigeria's firearms laws to permit responsible citizens to bear arms for self-defense, noting this practice exists in over 175 countries worldwide.
Emotional Appeals for Vulnerable Citizens
Chair of the House Committee on Women Affairs, Kafilat Ogbara, delivered a powerful emotional address highlighting the plight of women and children affected by recent mass abductions.
"My heart bleeds as I rise this morning. I rise not just as a member of this hallowed chamber, but as a mother, a woman," Ogbara stated, describing the Papiri and Kebbi school abductions as national tragedies.
She emphasized that ongoing killings and mass abductions constitute terrorism and represent fundamental failures in the state's basic duties to protect citizens.
Ogbara called for:
- A national safe-schools protection framework
- Deployment of security to vulnerable boarding schools
- Installation of panic alert systems
- Federal rescue and rehabilitation fund for abducted children
Regional Security Assessments
Lawmakers provided grim assessments from their respective regions, painting a picture of systemic security failure:
North-West Crisis: Sada Soli described the region's security challenges as complex and multidimensional, rooted in environmental stress and governance failures. He identified arms proliferation in forested areas and weak law enforcement as critical worsening factors.
North-East Insurgency: Aliyu Betara from Borno State revealed that during his tenure as defense committee chairman, operational accounts for police were nonexistent despite large budgets, while army capital funding remained grossly inadequate.
South-South Criticism: Bob Solomon from Rivers State accused successive governments of appeasing terrorists since 1999, emphasizing that "you can't negotiate your way out of terrorism."
Shocking Revelations of Security Infiltration
Former Deputy Speaker Ahmed Idris Wase dropped a bombshell revelation that Boko Haram members' names were discovered on Nigerian Army recruitment lists, exposing deep flaws in security vetting processes.
"We had moments when, in the process of recruitment, we found in the list names of criminals. Boko Haram members were found in the list of the Army," Wase disclosed, warning that such infiltration undermines the entire security architecture.
Wase, who lost both a brother and cousin to terrorist attacks, revealed that insecurity has become so severe that his surviving younger brother begged for help to relocate from their community.
Bandits Take Control of National Park
Jafaru Mohammed Ali from Niger State raised alarms about bandits completely taking over Kainji National Park, displacing rangers and seizing control of local facilities including a hotel within the park.
"People are migrating out of fear; some are even considering compromising with the bandits simply to survive," he warned, describing sophisticated criminal networks using modern techniques and heavy weapons.
Mohammed highlighted the long-term threat posed by bandits' children growing up in forests with violent skills but no understanding of law, religion, or community values.
Senate's Comprehensive Security Reforms
The Senate's resolutions followed extensive debate on escalating insecurity in Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger States, with lawmakers mandating investigations into why military personnel were withdrawn from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi shortly before mass abductions occurred.
Senator Sani Musa from Niger East questioned why abductees were rescued "without firing a single shot," raising concerns about possible ransom payments to terrorists.
The Senate recommended:
- Immediate establishment of Joint Task Force along Kwara-Kogi corridor
- Forward operating bases in strategic locations
- Enhanced technological surveillance and intelligence operations
- Immediate relief for traumatized victims and affected communities
Senator Abdul Ningi described kidnapping as "a more lucrative business than oil and politics," urging the Federal Government to adopt more proactive security measures.
The National Assembly's unified stance represents one of the strongest legislative responses to Nigeria's security crisis, with lawmakers demanding immediate action from both state and federal authorities to prevent complete security collapse.
