The Senate raised concerns over insecurity, and floated the option of shutting down politics in eight states

The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday stepped up its response to the deteriorating security situation in the country, urging the Federal Government to consider drastic emergency measures – including the suspension of political activities in some of the worst-affected northern states.

The proposal emerged in the plenary session following a motion tabled by Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central), who warned that the scale of insecurity demands urgent and unconventional solutions.

He said, “Mr President, we cannot continue to think like that because we are in Abuja, so this (insecurity) has no impact on us.

“One of the things we have to do, and I want us to take this issue very seriously, is to stop all political activities across the country or look at the frontline states like Borno, Plateau, Bauchi, Benue, Niger, Sokoto, Kebbi and parts of Kano.

“We need to stop activities in these states until we are reasonably sure that the challenge of insecurity is over.

“It’s because we’re not dealing with this issue of insecurity at all. And I don’t blame anyone. We can’t come here all the time to lament about it.”

The Senate’s call comes amid a resurgence in attacks carried out by rebel groups, particularly in the Northeast region, where military formations have been the target of coordinated attacks in recent weeks. The renewed violence has raised concerns that progress made in previous counter-insurgency operations is being further eroded.

In response, the Upper House adopted a separate resolution urging the Federal Government to intensify efforts to rescue more than 400 kidnapped civilians – mostly women, children and the elderly – reportedly held by rebels in Borno State since late March.

The resolution follows discussion of a motion entitled “Urgent need to curb attacks on military formations by Boko Haram insurgents,” sponsored by Senator Tahir Monguno and supported by Senators Ali Ndume and Kaka Lawan.

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Leading the debate, Monguno warned that increasingly sophisticated rebel attacks pose a major threat to national stability and military morale. He stressed that recent attacks on key locations, including Monguno and Benisheikh, signal a dangerous shift in the rebel group’s operational capacity.

Ndume, in his contribution, expressed deep concern over the fate of the abductees, and revealed that the rebels had issued new threats regarding their captives.

He called for immediate and coordinated action by the executive and legislative branches to prevent further escalation.

In line with this, Senator Diket Plang (Plateau Central) warned that continued attacks on military personnel would send shockwaves across the country, thereby weakening public confidence in the country’s security architecture.

At the end of the discussion, the Senate passed a series of resolutions aimed at addressing the crisis.

The lawmakers “strongly condemned Boko Haram’s continued attacks on military formations” and observed a minute’s silence to honor the fallen soldiers.

They also asked the Chief of Defense Staff and other service chiefs to “conduct a comprehensive operational and logistical audit of the affected military formations to identify and address gaps in equipment and operational strategy.”

Additionally, the Armed Forces were urged to “strengthen compliance with the rules of engagement and international humanitarian law” and to “thoroughly investigate allegations of harm to civilians during military operations.”

The Senate further appealed to the people of the affected areas to support the ongoing operations by providing “credible and timely information,” while praising the troops under Operation Hadin Kai for their resilience and sacrifice.

The urgency of the Senate’s intervention has increased with disturbing developments on the ground, including the circulation of a video reportedly showing dozens of kidnapped victims in Ngoshe, Gwoza Local Government Area of ​​Borno State.

In the recording, the rebels issued a warning against any rescue efforts and threatened severe consequences if their demands were not met within a tight deadline.

The victims were reportedly abducted following an attack on a military base in early March, in which rebels stormed the facility, destroyed equipment and kidnapped civilians.

With insecurity persisting despite years of military operations, the Senate’s proposal to halt political activity – although controversial – reflects growing frustration in political circles over the scale of the crisis.

As lawmakers push for stronger action, the Federal Government now faces increasing pressure to recalibrate its strategy and restore public confidence in the country’s security framework.