Parliament Sounds Alarm As Reps Hold Emergency Security Session
By IFEOMA IZUCHUKWU
THE Nigerian House of Representatives has entered an extraordinary phase of self-examination, dedicating an entire plenary session to the country’s deepening security crisis. The move, described by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen as both urgent and unavoidable, reflects widespread anxiety following weeks of coordinated attacks, mass abductions and targeted assaults across multiple states.
A Chamber on Edge
In a sombre address, the Speaker told lawmakers that Nigeria had entered one of its most unsettling periods in recent memory. He cited the mass abduction of students in Niger State, the kidnapping of worshippers in Kwara, and deadly raids in Kebbi as clear signs of emboldened violent groups striking with precision.
Families, he said, are grieving; citizens are frightened; confidence in public safety is shaken.
To underscore the gravity of the moment, Mr. Tajudeen suspended all regular legislative business, insisting that the House’s primary duty was to defend the lives and dignity of its constituents.
The gallery reflected the global concern: U.S. Embassy officials, the Speaker of the St. Kitts and Nevis Parliament, foreign diplomats, and civil society groups filled the seats, signalling that Nigeria’s internal turmoil is drawing sustained international attention.
Rising Violence and Presidential Response
The Speaker acknowledged President Bola Tinubu’s emergency directives to security agencies, including the temporary withdrawal of police from VIP protection duties for re-deployment to frontline operations. He credited these decisions with the swift rescue of abducted worshippers in Kwara and the recovery of several kidnapped students in Niger State, though others remain unaccounted for.
He led lawmakers in a minute of silence for fallen security personnel and reflected on his recent visit to Kebbi, where bereaved families and traumatised communities shared firsthand accounts of the attacks. Their testimonies, he said, would shape the House’s deliberations.
A Deliberate Campaign to Destabilise Nigeria?
Mr. Tajudeen warned that the renewed wave of violence appeared orchestrated to weaken national morale and project the illusion that violent groups operate everywhere and without restraint.
“These actors thrive on fear—fear is their greatest weapon,” he said, urging citizens to reject panic and resist the rapid spread of misinformation, which he described as a growing threat that undermines security operations.
Gains, Setbacks and Global Perceptions
Reviewing the broader security landscape, the Speaker noted improvements since President Tinubu assumed office, including enhanced coordination among security agencies, liberation of captives and the killing of several extremist commanders. Yet, he admitted that new threats had emerged, fuelled by instability across the Sahel.
He strongly criticised the Nigerian Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 proposed in the U.S. Congress, saying it inaccurately portrays Nigeria as engaging in religious persecution. Violence in Nigeria, he argued, targets both Christians and Muslims and is driven by non-state actors seeking disruption—not by government policy.
Still, he stressed Nigeria’s openness to constructive international partnership, recalling previous U.S. military assistance such as the A-59 Super Tucano aircraft sale that bolstered counter-terrorism efforts.
A Session for Solutions, Not Blame
The Speaker emphasised that the special session was not a platform for political attacks or institutional rivalry. Rather, its purpose was to generate actionable recommendations capable of strengthening the national security architecture.
He urged lawmakers to conduct deliberations with discipline and dignity, warning that emotional rhetoric would not aid the cause.
Closing his address, Mr. Tajudeen delivered a message of resilience: “These acts of violence will not break our unity or weaken our will. Nigeria will stand.”
The session now sets the stage for a comprehensive legislative blueprint on restoring stability in a country fighting to reclaim its sense of safety.
