House Asks Service Chiefs To Resign If Security Crisis Persist  

The House of Representatives has warned Nigeria’s service chiefs to consider stepping down honourably if the worsening security situation persists and public confidence in government efforts is not restored within a set timeframe.

Lawmakers also urged President Bola Tinubu to adopt a comprehensive and aggressive security strategy aimed at eliminating bandits, terrorists, and kidnappers operating across the country.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Rep. Ibe Osonwa of Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency, during plenary on Tuesday.

The motion, 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,” highlighted growing concerns over nationwide insecurity.

Presenting the motion, Osonwa expressed alarm over rising incidents of kidnappings, banditry, terrorism, and attacks on vulnerable communities, reminding the Federal Government of its constitutional duty to protect citizens under Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution.

He lamented the increasing attacks on schools, noting that abductions have disrupted education and worsened the out-of-school children crisis, with thousands forced out of classrooms and families enduring trauma from kidnappings.

Osonwa further decried the growing targeting of schools and places of worship by criminal groups, warning that these institutions, once considered safe, have become vulnerable to attacks, abductions, and killings.

He argued that the security crisis has negatively affected the economy, causing business closures, displacing farming communities, and pushing many families deeper into poverty.

The lawmaker criticized the current security response as largely reactive and insufficient to curb criminal activity, cautioning that failure to act decisively could suggest parts of the country are slipping from government control.

Following deliberations, the House condemned the continued banditry, mass abductions, and attacks on schools and places of worship across Nigeria.

The lawmakers resolved to send an urgent appeal to President Tinubu, reminding him of his constitutional responsibility as Commander-in-Chief to protect citizens’ lives and property.

They called for the immediate deployment of an aggressive security strategy to dismantle criminal hideouts, secure vulnerable schools and places of worship, and ensure the unconditional release of abducted citizens.

The House also directed its Committees on Defence, National Security and Intelligence, and the Army to intensify oversight of the resolutions’ implementation and report back within two weeks for further legislative action.

Nigeria continues to face multiple security challenges, including banditry, terrorism, kidnapping for ransom, and communal violence, particularly in the North-West, North-Central, and North-East regions.

Recent mass abductions of students in states such as Kaduna, Niger, and Zamfara have drawn widespread national and international concern, prompting renewed calls for stronger measures to protect schools and vulnerable communities.

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