The Senate on Tuesday expressed deep concern over the escalating attacks on serving and retired military personnel, describing the trend as a dangerous development that threatens Nigeria’s national security and stability.
The upper chamber warned that the abduction and killing of retired military officers by terrorists and criminal gangs reflects a worsening security crisis requiring urgent government intervention.
The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua during plenary on the death of retired Major General Alkali Abubakar, a former Director of Defence Information, who was abducted alongside his wife in Katsina State on May 30, 2026, and later died in captivity.
The Senate observed a minute’s silence in honour of the late officer and resolved to send its condolences to his family and the Nigerian Armed Forces.
Lawmakers described Abubakar’s death as not only a personal tragedy but also a stark reminder of the country’s deteriorating security situation.
The Senate also highlighted what it called a disturbing pattern of attacks on serving and retired military officers, citing several incidents between January 2023 and May 2026.
These include the killing of retired Major General Richard Duru in Owerri after a reported $50,000 ransom payment, the murder of retired Brigadier General O.M. Harlord Udokwere in Abuja, the 56-day captivity of former NYSC Director-General, retired Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga, and the death in captivity of retired Major Aja in Kogi State.
According to the lawmakers, the increasing frequency of such attacks marks a dangerous evolution in Nigeria’s security challenges, particularly as many of the victims previously held sensitive intelligence, operational and command positions.
The Senate stressed that the growing insecurity has far-reaching implications for national unity, democratic stability, economic growth and public confidence in government.
While commending the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other security agencies for their sacrifices, the lawmakers called for urgent improvements in intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, technology deployment and community engagement to curb the attacks.
The Senate further noted that the persistent wave of kidnappings and killings has resulted in loss of lives, prolonged captivity, ransom payments, economic hardship and psychological trauma, underscoring the need for a more coordinated and effective national security response.
