President of Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has urged lawmakers to rise up and meet the expectations of Nigerians, saying the people are going through challenging times.
He also urged the lawmakers to be guided by patriotism in the discharge of their legislative duties.
Akpabio made the call at the resumption of plenary on Tuesday.
He said much had transpired in the nation while the National Assembly was on break.
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"The rising cost of living, the instability in the energy sector, and the persisting insecurity in parts of the nation, all these demand not just attention but legislative action.
"Legislative action to support the great work the executive arm led by President Bola Tinubu is doing to fix the myriad of challenges which besiege our nation.
"In the South-east and North-west, communities still battle criminality and terrorism, in the North-central, farmers and herders still seek protection and justice.
"And in the South-South, the questions of environmental equity and resource fairness remain unresolved.
"These are not just news headlines; they are the bleeding wounds of the republic.
"Our people look to us, not for rhetoric, but for rescue, but I believe that there is no river we cannot cross if we put our trust in God and faith in the people He has ordained to lead us in both the Executive and Legislative Arms of our government.
"The reform of our electoral and judicial systems, and the role of the legislature in sustaining democracy, these are not idle conversations; they are the heartbeat of our democratic future.
"My distinguished colleagues let us make no mistakes, we are under watch, the people are watching, the world is watching, our constituents are watching, and history silent, but the unsleeping is watching.
"No test must find us wanting, no challenge must catch us unprepared. Let every vote we cast, every motion we raise, and every oversight we conduct bear the fingerprints of integrity and patriotism."
Akpabio said the task ahead of the national assembly was solemn and historic.
According to him, the senate will be examining bills critical to national stability, security reform, economic resilience, education, technology, and youth empowerment.
"Our committees will delve into oversight functions that could unlock the performance potentials of many MDAs.
"Let us carry out our duties with the spirit of statesmen, not partisans, let us elevate debate over division. Let us govern with grace, not grudge," he said.
He said the senate had not forgotten the hopes of Nigerians, their hardships and their hunger for change.
"We are here refreshed in spirit, renewed in resolve to build a nation where peace is not an illusion, and progress is not a promise, but a pattern," the senate president said.
Giwa Barracks armoury fire, rising Boko Haram attacks
In his motion, a lawmaker from Borno State, Ahmed Satomi, raised alarm over the recent fire incident at the Giwa Barracks armoury in Maiduguri and the escalating attacks on military formations in Borno and Yobe states, describing the situation as a grave threat to national security and public safety.
The lawmaker expressed concern over the spate of violent attacks by Boko Haram insurgents, particularly within the last two months.
The motion noted that several military installations had come under heavy assault, resulting in the loss of lives among soldiers and civilians.
"The bravery and sacrifice of our military personnel are being tested by these relentless assaults," the motion stated, adding that surrounding civilian communities remain exposed to extreme danger.
The House resolved to investigate the cause of the fire incident at Giwa Barracks and recommend preventive measures.
The House also called for a review of existing security protocols across all military formations to forestall future occurrences.
It called for strengthening of security operations in Borno and Yobe states to safeguard lives and property.
The House further mandated the committees on Army, Defense, and National Security to investigate and report back to the House within four weeks.
The House urged the federal government and relevant security agencies to act swiftly in containing the threats and restore confidence among military personnel and citizens in the affected regions.
Reps ask Tinubu, security chiefs to tackle escalating insecurity
The House of Representatives has also called on President Tinubu and the security chiefs to take urgent measures to address the security challenges in the country.
The lawmakers made the call while contributing to different motions raised on the floor of the House relating to diverse security challenges recorded in parts of the country in recent weeks.
Daily Trust reports that all the four urgent motions of public importance moved on the floor of the House bordered on security challenges in the North-east geopolitical zone, Benue, Edo and Kano.
Senate proposes national summit on insecurity
The Senate on Tuesday resolved to constitute an adhoc committee to organise a national security summit as part of efforts to nip in the bud, the escalating security challenges in the country.
This was sequel to a motion sponsored by Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (APC, Ondo South), and co-sponsored by Senators Titus Zam (APC, Benue North West), Nwebonyi Onyeka Peter (Ebonyi North) and Osita Ngwu (Enugu West).
Daily Trust reports that despite efforts by the government to end the spate of killings and abductions of innocent citizens in the country, the crime has continued to fester. There is a resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in the North-east.
Similarly, bandits have been attacking, killing and kidnapping people in the North-west region.
Also, new terror groups keep springing up, the most recent being the Lakurawa and the Mahmuda, which have been launching attacks on citizens in Kebbi, Niger and other states in the North-west and North- central zones.
Presenting his motion, Senator Ibrahim said there was need for alternative language to be deployed in military engagements as well as enhanced funding to advance the professional practice and tradition expected of the military.
He said, "No country will allow its citizens to understand security by living with insecurity, therefore, the ideology of peace for all as outlined in the executive policies of the Renewed Hope Agenda should be upheld and promoted."
Speaking further, the senator said, "To address the challenges highlighted, it is imperative that empirical fact-finding national security summit is organised by the Senate to assist in providing the requisite platform for exhaustive and far-reaching deliberations on the way forward."
Contributing to the debate, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe expressed worry that similar summits were held in the past, but that the outcome was never implemented.
Senator Adamu Aliero, however, said rather than convene a national security summit, the security chiefs should be interrogated by the Senate to step up their game.
He said, "I don't believe having a security summit is the answer. We should call the Inspector General of Police, National Security Adviser (NSA), Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Defence Staff and others."
Aliero who expressed worry over the springing up of terror groups in the country said, "We need to discuss with the security chiefs here in the chambers one on one. They should make more sacrifices for Nigeria."
He also suggested the need for the adoption of a non-kinetic approach in tackling insecurity, saying, "the federal, state and local governments should do something about the non-kinetic approach."
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South) submitted that the summit was necessary, stressing that failure to implement past recommendations shouldn't be a reason not to organised a new one.
A co-sponsor of the motion, Senator Zam, also urged the Senate to play its part and leave the rest to the executive arm, saying "I suggest we convene the security summit.
On his part, Senator Abdul Ningi warned that, "If we keep doing the same thing without achieving results, we are deceiving ourselves." He also stressed the need for the Senate to interface with security chiefs before the summit.
After an extensive debate on the motion, the senators approved the motion when put to voice vote by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
Akpabio, thereafter, asked the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, to constitute an ad hoc committee that would do the ground work for the summit.
On his part, Borno lawmaker, Rep. Ahmed Jaha lamented that Boko Haram attacks are back in full force in Borno and other states in the North-east.
He noted that the insurgents' attacks were becoming complicated in intensity and form because they are now using "armed, sophisticated drones to wage attacks".
Rep. Jaha said it was undeniable that Borno State which had in the past witnessed a reduction in the attacks leading to the return of people that were hitherto displaced is now facing resurgence of attacks.
He said, "I am talking as a victim of the recent resurgence of Boko Haram. I went to my constituency on Saturday to sympathise, to condole with the people that lost their lives as a result of this sporadic, uninterrupted attack.
"I observe one thing. Boko Haram is coming back worse than what we had in the past. Take it or leave it. In part of my constituency, 10 peasant farmers were slaughtered by Boko Haram members, five are still at large and three are critically ill in the hospital. In Chibok, 14 peasant farmers were attacked in their community.
"In less than a blink of an eye, they reduced 14 people to nothing. In Izge, I lost two military men, a captain and a senior officer as a result of Boko Haram insurgence.
"We lost so many constituents because Boko Haram is using armed drones. This will be on record. They are using armed drones, weaponised drones, which the Nigerian army is not using. In other words, they are more sophisticated than the Nigerian army.
"So as I am speaking to you, there are not enough army personnel. They don't have enough personnel to face these boys; that is the truth. They are committed, they are very strong in their own stand, unfortunately, they don't have enough personnel and equipment to face the Boko Haram".
On his part, Rep. Babajimi Benson lamented that despite the billions of naira spent on the defence sector, insecurity has continued to escalate.
He said, "I stand here with all sense of responsibility and humility to say that the presidency has expended so much money; so much resources on Nigerian military without commensurate results."
The House of Representatives also called on the National Security Adviser (NSA) and military authorities to urgently deploy security personnel to Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, following a surge in deadly attacks.
Rep Blessing Onyeche Onuh, while moving a motion on the deteriorating security situation in the region, lamented the spate of killings in several communities, including Asa 2, Akpa/Otobi, Adoka/Ugboju, Okpomaju, and Amichi.
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The lawmaker lamented that the once peaceful town of Otukpo now reels under the weight of violence and displacement.
According to the motion, the attacks have left dozens dead, including a retired senior customs officer, and forced thousands to flee their homes.
She said many victims are currently taking refuge in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, with little or no access to basic amenities.
The House expressed concern that Otukpo's largely agrarian population can no longer access their farmlands due to the insecurity, posing a significant threat to food production and national food security.
Further, the House called on the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to urgently provide relief materials to those displaced by the violence in Otukpo.
In a motion, a Kano lawmaker, Ali Madaki, lamented the killing of 16 hunters in Edo State, and called for compensation for the victims' families.
He also called on the Inspector-General of Police and the Director of the State Security Services to launch full scale investigation into the incident and bring perpetrators to justice.
In another development, the lawmaker representing Shanono/Bagwai Federal Constituency of Kano State, Yusuf Ahmad Badau, raised an alarm over a series of bandit attacks in his constituency, calling for security intervention to forestall further bloodshed.
He drew attention to the worsening security situation in Shanono and Bagwai areas, citing recent attacks that left residents in fear and mourning.
According to the lawmaker, the most devastating of the incidents occurred on April 17, 2025, when armed bandits stormed the bustling Faruruwa market in Shanono Local Government Area at about 8:00 p.m., killing two people, injuring six others, and kidnapping one person.
He also recalled another attempted attack in the early hours of April 26, which was thwarted by residents of Shanono town.
The House resolved to urge the Inspector General of Police, Chief of Defence Staff, and heads of other security agencies to immediately deploy a tactical operational task force to the affected areas to curb the attacks.
Additionally, the House mandated its Committees on Police and Defence to investigate the series of incidents and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, called on Nigeria's security forces to intensify their efforts in tackling the rising wave of insecurity across the country, particularly in rural areas.
Speaker Abbas said, "sadly, our recess was marked by distressing events, including unjustified killings in various parts of the country and a deadly bombing near Gamboru that claimed many civilian lives. The House unequivocally condemns these attacks on innocent citizens."
