The House of Representatives has summoned the nation’s Service Chiefs and the Minister of Finance to appear before it and account for funds allocated and released for security operations amid worsening insecurity across the country.
The resolution followed the adoption of separate motions sponsored by Rep. Ibe Osonwa and Rep. Sulaiman Gumi during plenary, where lawmakers expressed concern over the escalating cases of banditry, kidnappings, attacks on schools, and assaults on places of worship.
Leading the debate, Osonwa recalled that the Constitution places the security and welfare of citizens as the primary responsibility of government, lamenting that the current security situation has continued to deteriorate despite huge budgetary allocations to the sector.
According to him, schools and worship centres, once regarded as safe havens, have increasingly become targets of attacks by armed groups.
“Schools, once sanctuaries of learning, have now become prime targets for ruthless bandits, while religious congregants are regularly attacked during worship services,” he said.
The lawmaker further noted that the persistent wave of kidnappings has worsened the country’s out-of-school children crisis, while many communities have been displaced and economic activities disrupted.
He said ordinary Nigerians increasingly feel abandoned as farms are deserted, businesses shut down, and families forced to pay huge sums in ransom to secure the release of their loved ones.
Osonwa questioned the effectiveness of the country’s security architecture, stressing that despite trillions of naira appropriated for security over the years, the response to emerging threats remains largely reactive and inadequate.
Also contributing, Gumi described the security situation in Zamfara State and other parts of the North-West as a humanitarian crisis. He cited the recent abduction of seven students of Kaura Namoda Polytechnic and disclosed that two senior lecturers of the institution remain in captivity despite ransom payments.
Following deliberations, the House resolved to invite the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff, the Chief of Air Staff, and the Minister of Finance to provide a detailed account of funds appropriated and released for security operations.
Lawmakers said the appearance would offer Nigerians an opportunity to understand how security funds have been utilised and the impact of such expenditures on the fight against insecurity.
The House also urged President Bola Tinubu to adopt a more aggressive security strategy and ensure the deployment of additional troops, equipment, and resources to Zamfara State and other affected states in the North-West.
In addition, lawmakers called for non-kinetic interventions involving the Ministries of Agriculture, Education, and Humanitarian Affairs to address the underlying socio-economic factors fueling insecurity.
The Committees on Defence, National Security and Intelligence, Army, Navy, Air Force, and other relevant committees were mandated to oversee the implementation of the resolutions and report back to the House within two weeks.
The lawmakers stressed that Nigerians deserve transparency, accountability, and measurable results from the enormous resources committed to securing the country. Authority.
