• Urge Tinubu to urgently crackdown on bandits, kidnappers
By Christiana Ekpa
The House of Representatives on Tuesday summoned the nation’s Service Chiefs and the Minister of Finance to appear before lawmakers and account for funds allocated and released for security operations amid worsening insecurity across the country.
The House resolution followed the adoption of motions on the escalating wave of banditry, kidnappings and attacks on communities, schools and places of worship, particularly in the North-West.
Lawmakers expressed concern that despite huge budgetary allocations to the defence sector over the years, bandits and kidnappers continue to operate with relative ease, carrying out deadly attacks and mass abductions across several parts of the country.
Leading the debate, Rep. Ibe Osonwa (LP, Abia) decried the growing incidents of kidnappings and attacks on schools, warning that the trend is worsening the out-of-school children crisis and exposing vulnerable communities to fear and trauma.
He argued that the nation’s security response remains largely reactive and inadequate despite the enormous public funds appropriated annually for defence and security operations.
Also contributing, Rep. Sulaiman Abubakar Gumi (APC, Zamfara), through a motion on recurring attacks in Zamfara and other North-West states, described the security situation in the region as a humanitarian crisis fuelled by armed banditry, kidnappings and violent criminal activities.
Gumi cited the recent abduction of seven students of Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State, and the continued captivity of two senior lecturers of the institution despite the payment of ransom.
He further highlighted deadly attacks across Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi and Jigawa states, noting that many communities have been deserted as residents flee persistent violence.
The lawmakers questioned why insecurity continues to worsen despite repeated assurances from security agencies and sustained government funding.
Consequently, the House resolved to invite the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff and other relevant security chiefs, alongside the Minister of Finance, to provide a detailed briefing on security spending, including funds appropriated and released for military operations and the impact of such expenditures on the fight against insecurity.
According to the lawmakers, the appearance will enable Nigerians to understand how security funds have been utilised and why expected results have not been achieved.
The House also called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately deploy a more aggressive and comprehensive strategy to dismantle bandits’ strongholds, secure vulnerable communities and facilitate the release of citizens held captive by criminal groups.
In addition, lawmakers urged the Minister of Defence to deploy more troops and operational equipment to Zamfara and other affected North-West states to strengthen ongoing military operations.
The House further advocated non-kinetic measures to address the root causes of insecurity, urging the Ministries of Agriculture, Education, Environment and Humanitarian Affairs to implement programmes aimed at tackling socio-economic challenges that fuel criminality.
To ensure compliance, the House mandated its Committees on Defence, National Security and Intelligence, Army, and other relevant committees to monitor implementation of the resolutions and report back within two weeks.
In a strongly worded position, lawmakers maintained that the persistence of insecurity despite massive security spending raises serious concerns about accountability and effectiveness within the nation’s security architecture.
They stressed that Nigerians deserve transparency on the utilisation of security funds and explanations as to why banditry, kidnappings and terrorist attacks continue to threaten lives, livelihoods and national stability.
