By Jane Okafor, Abuja
The Senate on Wednesday called on the Federal Government to adopt sweeping emergency measures — including a possible halt to political activities in eight high-risk states — as insecurity worsens across the country.
The warning reflects mounting anxiety within the National Assembly over renewed insurgent attacks, particularly in the North-East.
Raising a point of order during plenary, Bauchi Central senator, Abdul Ningi, cautioned against complacency among political leaders.
“Mr President, we cannot continue to assume that because we are in Abuja, this crisis does not concern us,” he said.
He urged drastic action, suggesting either a nationwide suspension of political activities or targeted restrictions.
in the most affected states — Borno, Plateau, Bauchi, Benue, Niger, Sokoto, Kebbi, and parts of Kano.
“We must take this seriously. Activities in these frontline states should be suspended until we are confident that the security situation has improved,” Ningi stressed.
He lamented what he described as a pattern of inaction, adding, “We cannot keep coming here to lament without decisive steps. We are not confronting this problem effectively — and I am not apportioning blame.”
His remarks come amid a resurgence of attacks by Boko Haram insurgents, including coordinated assaults on military formations and fresh threats against rescue efforts for abducted civilians.
In a related move, the Senate urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts to secure the release of 416 women, children, and elderly persons reportedly held captive in Borno State since March 30, 2026.
The resolution followed deliberation on a motion titled “Urgent need to curb attacks on military formations by Boko Haram insurgents,” sponsored by Tahir Monguno and co-sponsored by Ali Ndume and Kaka Lawan.
Leading the debate, Monguno warned that recent coordinated attacks in Monguno and Benisheikh were reversing gains made in counter-insurgency operations and posing a grave threat to national stability.
Ndume, in his contribution, expressed deep concern over the fate of abducted victims, revealing that insurgents had threatened to disperse them if urgent action was not taken.
He called for immediate intervention from both the Presidency and the National Assembly.
Also speaking, Diket Plang noted that persistent attacks on military personnel were fueling nationwide fear, warning that the killing of senior officers signaled a troubling deterioration in the country’s security architecture.
In its resolutions, the Senate strongly condemned the continued attacks on military formations and observed a minute of silence in honour of fallen soldiers.
Lawmakers further directed the Chief of Defence Staff and service chiefs to conduct a comprehensive audit of affected military formations, with a focus on identifying gaps in equipment, logistics, and operational strategy.
They also urged the Armed Forces to uphold rules of engagement and international humanitarian law, while calling for thorough investigations into allegations of civilian harm during operations.
Communities were encouraged to provide timely and credible intelligence to security agencies, while troops of Operation Hadin Kai were commended for their resilience and sacrifice.
The heightened concern follows the emergence of a video released by a faction of Boko Haram — Jama’atu Ahlis-Sunna Lidda’Awati Wal-Jihad — showing dozens of abducted victims in Ngoshe, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
In the footage, the insurgents issued a 72-hour ultimatum, warning against any rescue attempt and threatening to disperse the captives if their demands were not met.
The victims were reportedly taken during an early March attack on a military base in Ngoshe, where insurgents overran the facility, destroyed operational vehicles, scattered security personnel, and killed an unspecified number of people before abducting others.
The latest developments have deepened fear in affected communities and reignited calls for decisive, coordinated action to end an insurgency that has persisted for more than a decade despite sustained military efforts.
