Senate President Godswill Akpabio has ignited a firestorm of criticism with his recent comments addressing the escalating insecurity in Nigeria, particularly the horrific abduction of 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi State.
The Kebbi School Attack and a Nation on Edge
In the early hours of Monday, November 17, 2025, bandits launched a brutal assault on the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School (GGCSS) located in the Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State. The attackers, who reportedly faced no resistance, not only kidnapped the students but also killed the school's Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, as he courageously tried to protect them.
This tragic event is the latest in a devastating series of mass abductions of schoolchildren by bandits and terrorists operating predominantly in northern Nigeria, creating a pervasive atmosphere of fear and anxiety across the nation.
Akpabio's Controversial Defense in the Senate
During a heated plenary session on Tuesday, where senators debated the killing of Brigadier-General Uba Musa in Borno State alongside the Kebbi abduction, Akpabio made remarks that many have deemed insensitive. While presiding over the session, the Senate President suggested that such security challenges should not lead to despair, arguing that crime is a universal problem.
He stated that Nigeria is a very large country with overstretched security agencies, noting the difficulty in deploying even one policeman per polling unit during elections. He further attempted to contextualize the situation by drawing a comparison to a global superpower.
"We sympathise deeply with the families affected, but we must remember that Nigeria is a very large country," Akpabio said. "There is no society without crime. Even the almighty America records crime on a daily basis. But we must continue to do our best to minimise it."
Mounting Criticism and Worsening Security Crisis
The timing of Akpabio's comments has drawn sharp rebuke from concerned citizens, civil society groups, and fellow politicians. Critics argue that his words carry a dismissive undertone that appears to normalize the severe security threats facing ordinary Nigerians, offering little comfort to the captives and their traumatized families.
The backlash intensified because his remarks came just a day after another violent incident. On the same day as the Senate debate, gunmen stormed a branch of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in the Eruku community, Ekiti LGA of Kwara State. During the attack, which was captured on a live stream, the assailants killed three worshippers and abducted the pastor along with an unknown number of congregants.
These back-to-back incidents in Kebbi and Kwara highlight the severe and persistent nature of the security crisis in Nigeria. They have amplified calls from various stakeholders for the government to move beyond rhetoric and take decisive, effective action to protect its citizens from the relentless activities of bandits, terrorists, and other criminal elements.
