Reps Tell Service Chiefs To Resign If They Cannot End Insecurity

Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.

The House of Representatives has told the nation’s service chiefs to “honourably resign from office” if the country’s worsening insecurity persists and public confidence in government efforts is not restored within a clearly defined timeframe. The lawmakers, at Tuesday’s plenary, also demanded that President Bola Tinubu immediately deploy a comprehensive and aggressive security strategy to flush out bandits, terrorists, and kidnappers from their hideouts across Nigeria.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by Rep. Ibe Osonwa (LP, Abia), representing the Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency. The motion is titled, “A Call for Immediate Executive Action on the Surge in Banditry, the Daily Abduction of Schoolchildren and the Perilous Security Situation in Nigerian Schools and Places of Worship”. Osonwa expressed concern over the escalating wave of kidnappings, banditry, terrorism, and attacks on vulnerable communities nationwide. He reminded the Federal Government of its constitutional responsibility to protect citizens, citing Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which provides that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government”.

The lawmaker lamented the growing trend of attacks on schools, noting that the abduction of schoolchildren across several parts of the country has disrupted education and deepened Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis. He also painted a grim picture of the economic consequences of insecurity, stating that many businesses have shut down, farming communities have been deserted and families plunged into poverty. Osonwa decried the systematic targeting of schools and places of worship by criminal elements, warning that institutions traditionally regarded as safe havens had increasingly become soft targets for terrorists and kidnappers. He argued that the current security response appeared largely reactive and insufficient to stem the operations of criminal groups.

Following deliberations, the House condemned in the strongest possible terms the continued banditry, mass abductions, and attacks on schools and churches across Nigeria. The lawmakers resolved to transmit an urgent and solemn appeal to President Tinubu, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, reminding him of his oath to protect the lives and property of Nigerians. The House specifically demanded the immediate deployment of an aggressive, unrelenting and comprehensive security strategy to dismantle bandits’ strongholds, secure vulnerable schools and places of worship, and ensure the unconditional release of citizens held captive by criminal groups.

In another resolution, the House summoned the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff, the National Security Adviser (NSA) Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the Minister of Defence, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Minister of Finance to appear before it and provide detailed accounts of funds released to security agencies in the last six months, amid mounting concerns over worsening insecurity despite huge budgetary allocations to the defence sector. The lawmakers questioned why insecurity has continued to escalate despite repeated assurances by security agencies and consistent government funding for security operations. The House said the persistence of insecurity despite massive spending on security raises serious questions about accountability, efficiency, and effectiveness within the nation’s security architecture. The House also mandated its Committees on Defence, National Security and Intelligence, and Army to intensify oversight of the implementation of the resolutions and report back within two weeks for further legislative action.

Contributing through a separate motion on the recurring attacks in Zamfara and other North-West states, Rep. Sulaiman Gumi (APC, Zamfara) painted a grim picture of the security situation in the region, describing it as a humanitarian crisis driven by armed banditry, kidnappings, and the increasing activities of violent criminal groups. Gumi cited the recent abduction of seven students of Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State, as well as the continued captivity of two senior lecturers of the institution, despite reports that ransom had been paid for their release. He also highlighted recurring deadly attacks across Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, and Jigawa states, noting that repeated incidents of violence had forced many residents to abandon their communities and flee in search of safety.

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