Nigeria’s House of Representatives has called in National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and all service chiefs to explain what’s being done about the country’s worsening insecurity.
Lawmakers passed the resolution Tuesday during plenary, after Hon. Sulaiman Gumi of Zamfara raised a motion. Their concern: killings, kidnappings, bandit attacks, and terrorism keep rising despite repeated government assurances.
The move comes right after armed attacks on schools in Oyo and Borno states on May 15. In Oyo, gunmen stormed Community High School in Ahoro-Esinele, abducting the principal, teachers, and dozens of pupils. One teacher was killed during the attack, and another abducted teacher was later killed by the kidnappers. The incident sparked protests in Ogbomoso.
That same day in Borno, attackers hit Mussa Primary School and Junior Day Secondary School in Askira-Uba LGA and abducted several pupils. The attacks have revived fears of mass school abductions, especially in the north.
President Bola Tinubu had addressed the issue on May 27 during Children’s Day. He said kids and teachers from Oyo and Borno “should be with their families, but are being held captive by criminals.” He promised families that “you are not forgotten, you are not abandoned” and said he’d ordered stronger school protection, better intelligence, and faster response systems in high-risk areas.
But insecurity hasn’t slowed. The Nigeria Union of Teachers called the school attacks “baric and inhuman” and warned teachers may withdraw services if schools stay unsafe.
Now, the House wants Ribadu and the service chiefs to appear before lawmakers and detail their plan to stop the violence and free those still in captivity.
