Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has issued an urgent and unflinching appeal to President Bola Tinubu, demanding immediate and decisive action to halt the escalating wave of terrorism, banditry, killings and mass abductions that have turned Northern Nigeria into a theatre of bloodshed. The lawmakers, in a statement issued on Thursday, August 27, 2026, and signed by the Minority Leader, Hon. Fredrick Agbedi, and the caucus spokesperson, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, declared that the scale and frequency of the attacks have become intolerable. They warned that continued loss of lives and displacement was deepening the sense of insecurity and helplessness among residents, and that the government could no longer rely on statements of condolence after every attack.
The lawmakers painted a grim picture of the devastation across several northern states. In Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, they said more than 20 people were killed in recent attacks, including at least 23 victims in a single incident. In Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, armed men attacked communities and abducted more than 60 worshippers during Friday prayers. In Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State, at least 40 people were killed in the attack on Ungushi community, including the Chief Imam, Imam Aliyu. In Kaduna State, at least 30 people were killed in an attack on Naridon village in Kaura Local Government Area. The caucus also expressed deep concern over the continuing absence of schoolchildren abducted in Borno State months ago.
The Minority Caucus stressed that the situation required more than sympathy. "This is no longer a situation that can be addressed principally through statements of condemnation after every attack," the lawmakers declared. They called for a sustained, intelligence-led military and security operation to reclaim territories occupied or controlled by terrorists and criminal gangs. The caucus urged President Tinubu to replicate on a larger scale the strategy that led to the successful rescue of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. They insisted that affected areas should be subjected to intensive security operations, with the armed forces and other security agencies directed to dominate the territory and sustain operations against terrorist and bandit hideouts, forests and criminal enclaves.
In a direct message to the Commander-in-Chief, the lawmakers said: "We are calling on the President to lock down the affected theatres of operation, dominate the territory and sweep the forests, hideouts and criminal enclaves where terrorists and bandits operate". They clarified that the lockdown should target criminal networks rather than innocent citizens. "We are not asking the President to lock down innocent Nigerians. We are asking the Commander-in-Chief to lock down the operational space of terrorists and bandits, deny them freedom of movement, cut off their supply lines and communications and deploy overwhelming force against those who have turned parts of the North into killing fields and centres of mass abduction," the caucus said.
Beyond military operations, the Minority Caucus called for an extraordinary increase in funding for the national security campaign. They proposed that the Federal Government consider drawing $5 billion from the nation's external reserves to fund the emergency intervention. "If funding is an issue, the government should draw $5bn from the nation's external reserves for an extraordinary national security intervention," the lawmakers said. They argued that the primary purpose of government is the welfare and security of the people, and that no expenditure could be more fundamental than protecting the lives and livelihoods of Nigerian citizens.
The caucus also urged President Tinubu to visit Zamfara State and travel to Illela to engage directly with communities affected by insecurity. They said the physical presence of the President in communities devastated by attacks and abductions would demonstrate his commitment to protecting citizens and reassure affected residents. The Minority Caucus welcomed the recent increase in the salaries of members of the Armed Forces but urged the President to immediately forward the necessary amendment to the 2026 Appropriation Act and a Supplementary Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly to ensure the troops are adequately equipped and funded for the fight.
The appeal from the Minority Caucus comes amid a relentless wave of violence that has left thousands dead and displaced across the North. The lawmakers' demand for a $5 billion intervention and a sustained military offensive represents a significant escalation in the political pressure on President Tinubu to confront the security crisis head-on. As the caucus noted, the people of Northern Nigeria are being killed in their homes, on their farms, in their communities and even while observing prayers. The time for condolence messages, they said, is over. The time for action is now.
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