Reps Summon Service Chiefs, NSA Ribadu to Closed-Door Session Over Worsening Insecurity

The House of Representatives has summoned Nigeria’s service chiefs and Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser, to appear in a closed-door session — as lawmakers moved to confront the escalating wave of insecurity sweeping across the country.

The resolution followed a motion by Sulaiman Gumi, representing Gummi/Bukkuyum federal constituency of Zamfara State, adopted during Tuesday’s plenary. The abduction of dozens of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State had freshened concerns about the deepening kidnapping crisis nationwide.

Across the country, the picture is grim. Benue State has seen repeated attacks on farming communities kill dozens of residents. Plateau has experienced renewed violence displacing families. In the North-West, armed bandit groups continue to overrun villages and highways, with Zamfara, Katsina and Sokoto among the worst-hit states. Kidnapping for ransom has remained a major challenge across the country for months despite repeated assurances from security agencies.

Lawmakers want direct answers from security leadership

Moving the motion, Gumi said the situation had continued to threaten lives, economic activities and food production, especially in rural communities. He said the House could no longer keep routing questions through committees and see no results.

Abdussamad Dasuki backed the call for a closed-door session, arguing that key security and finance officials should face lawmakers directly.

“We cannot be mandating the House Committees all the time and we are not seeing results. Let us summon the NSA, Ministers of Finance and Defence to a closed-door session. Let us know the releases to the Ministry of Defence in the past six months,” he said.

State police debate resurfaces

Lawmakers also renewed calls for the creation of state police. Abubakar Yelleman said the National Assembly needed to act on the proposal urgently to help check the deteriorating security situation. Olumide Osoba supported decentralised policing, arguing that states could effectively manage their police formations if proper structures and safeguards were in place.

Babajimi Benson raised concerns that the cashless policy had complicated efforts by families to secure the release of abducted persons — calling for the policy to be revisited. Ademorin Kuye went further, urging the Central Bank of Nigeria to monitor Bureau De Change activities to check illicit financial flows linked to kidnapping operations.

Sources: Business Day, News Point Nigeria, Newsposl