Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigerian Senate resumed plenary on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, with a direct and uncompromising demand to the Federal Government and security agencies: intensify operations to rescue every Nigerian held captive by kidnappers and protect the communities facing daily threats to their lives and livelihoods. The demand was made by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, as the upper chamber returned from its annual recess, which began on July 23, 2026. The Senate’s intervention came against the backdrop of a security crisis that has seen mass abductions, killings and displacement across the North-West, North-Central and North-East regions, with communities in Niger, Zamfara, Plateau, Kwara and Borno states bearing the brunt of the violence.
Akpabio did not mince words. In a speech that framed the protection of Nigerian lives as the Senate’s foremost constitutional obligation, he declared that the upper chamber would deploy legislation, appropriation and oversight to tackle insecurity, flooding and the rising cost of living facing Nigerians. “So long as a single Nigerian languishes in captivity, a part of Nigeria is itself captive, and this chamber cannot call itself free of the burden,” he said. He stressed that government institutions must not leave citizens exposed to security threats, warning that the protection of lives remained a responsibility of the state. “We cannot summon citizens to courage and then leave them to face danger alone. Their safety is a charge laid upon us and upon every institution of government, particularly this Nigerian Senate,” Akpabio declared.
The Senate President expressed particular concern over the abduction of Nigerians by armed groups, saying the government could not respond to their plight with sympathy alone. “Sympathies alone cannot discharge our duties. They are entitled to our attention, our resolve and the full force of our constitutional responsibilities,” he stated. He said the Senate would scrutinise existing measures and consider additional legislative, budgetary and oversight interventions to address insecurity. “Our victories should be measured in safer communities, better livelihoods for all Nigerians, and a stronger country for those we serve and for generations unborn,” he added.
The Senate’s intervention comes at a time when the scale of abductions across Nigeria has reached alarming proportions. In Niger State, more than 500 worshippers and residents were abducted from the Dekara District of Borgu Local Government Area on August 21, 2026, during Friday prayers. A document containing the names of 547 alleged victims was later obtained exclusively by SaharaReporters, contradicting the state government’s claim that only 35 people were displaced. Among the abducted were women, children, the village head of Ka’ada and the 90-year-old father of the District Head of Dekara. A pregnant woman among the captives reportedly gave birth in the forest without medical care or adequate food, and her baby did not survive. The victims have now spent more than five weeks in captivity, and the government has yet to secure their release.
In Kwara State, 176 residents were abducted from Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area in February 2026. Although 163 were later rescued, 13 remain unaccounted for. The Senate had previously urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts to rescue the abducted women and children from the Woro communities, following a motion by Senator Sadiq Umar. In Plateau State, the violence has been relentless. On September 26, 2026, gunmen killed at least 54 people in Zikke village, Bassa Local Government Area, barely two weeks after 52 people were killed in a similar attack in the same local government. On September 24, two miners were killed in Barkin Ladi, and on September 23, a member of the Plateau State House of Assembly was abducted. The Nigerian Bar Association in Plateau State has accused terrorists of openly attacking communities observing government-imposed curfews, describing the situation as “an invitation to total anarchy.”
The Senate’s demand also comes amid a growing sense of frustration among Nigerians that the government’s response to insecurity has been inadequate. Amnesty International has condemned the Plateau attacks as an “inexcusable security failure,” saying the security measures President Bola Tinubu claims to be implementing are not working. The Nigerian Bar Association has called for an investigation into the delayed response of security agencies to attacks, with sanctions for personnel found culpable. The Berom Youth Moulders-Association has confirmed the killing of seven people in separate attacks across Plateau State within 48 hours, accusing security agencies of failing to protect communities despite a curfew imposed to stem the violence.
Akpabio’s speech also touched on the broader challenges facing the country. He noted that the Senate could not return from recess and ignore the worsening difficulties confronting citizens. “We adjourned since the 23rd day of July, 2026. The sittings of the Senate ceased in plenary for a season, but the life of Nigeria did not cease,” he said. He said the Senate would use its legislative powers to address not only insecurity but also flooding and the rising cost of living, which have compounded the hardship facing millions of Nigerians.
The Senate’s resolution is a significant escalation in the legislative branch’s engagement with the security crisis. It signals that the upper chamber intends to hold the executive and security agencies accountable for the safety of citizens, not merely through statements of concern but through legislative, budgetary and oversight action. The coming weeks will reveal whether the Senate’s demand translates into concrete measures, including increased funding for security agencies, the strengthening of the Safe Schools Initiative, and the expedited rescue of the hundreds of Nigerians still held captive across the country.
For the families of the 547 abducted in Niger State, the 13 still missing in Kwara, and the countless others held in forests and hideouts across Nigeria, the Senate’s words offer a measure of hope. But words alone will not bring them home. The government and security agencies must now demonstrate that the protection of Nigerian lives is not merely a constitutional obligation but a practical priority. As Akpabio himself put it, “So long as a single Nigerian languishes in captivity, a part of Nigeria is itself captive.” The Senate has spoken. The question now is whether the Federal Government and the security agencies are listening.
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