The Senate on Tuesday “condemned the escalating attacks, abductions and killings of serving and retired military personnel across Nigeria, urging stronger security interventions.”
The Senate resolution followed “a motion by Sen. Abdulaziz Musa-Yar’Adua (APC-Katsina Central) on the worsening insecurity and the recent killing of Retired Maj.-Gen. Rabe Abubakar.”
Moving the motion, Yar’Adua described “insecurity in the country as increasingly complex, persistent and alarming, manifesting through terrorism, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, violent attacks and widespread destruction.”
He said that “criminal groups had become more sophisticated, extending attacks beyond communities to deliberately targetting serving and retired military personnel across the country.”
According to him, “the killing of the retired general and other attacks represent painful national tragedies and underscored the country’s worsening security challenges.”
He noted that “retired military officers remained vulnerable because of their previous operational, intelligence and command responsibilities, making them targets for terrorists and kidnappers.”
Yar’Adua cautioned that “persistent attacks on security personnel undermined troops’ morale and emboldened criminal groups challenging the authority and capability of the country.”
He listed “several cases involving abduction, killing of retired senior officers as well as those held captive across Zamfara, Imo, Abuja, Katsina, Kogi and Plateau states.”
“The death of Maj.-Gen. Rabe Abubakar and others in terrorists’ custody represents not only personal tragedy but a painful national loss demanding urgent action,” the senator said.
In his contribution, Sen. Osita Izunaso (APC-Imo West) seconded the motion, “describing the recurring attacks on serving and retired military personnel as disturbing and unacceptable.”
Izunaso said “the catalogue of abducted and murdered military officers reflected Nigeria’s worsening security situation that required stronger measures against perpetrators.”
“This motion has come at the right time when Nigerians expect the nation’s defence and security architecture to decisively confront the growing insecurity,” he said.
Also speaking, Sen. Abdul Ningi (PDP-Bauchi Central), called for “greater legislative oversight of Nigeria’s security institutions.”
Ningi urged “the National Assembly to intensify oversight of security agencies by reviewing casualty records, operational responses and support provided to families of fallen security personnel.”
On his part, the Deputy Senate President, Sen. Jibrin Barau, who presided over the deliberations, said “the concerns raised by senators were justified but urged balanced assessment of ongoing security operations.”
According to Barau, “terrorism remains a global challenge affecting several countries, particularly within the West African sub-region, requiring collective regional responses.”
“Our men and women in uniform are doing their best. They have been successful in decimating many criminal elements and deserve our continued support,” he said.
The senate, thereafter, “adopted the prayers urging security agencies to intensify intelligence gathering, intelligence sharing, surveillance operations and early warning mechanisms against terrorists and bandits.”
The lawmakers also resolved “to encourage stronger collaboration among security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders and local communities to improve trust-based intelligence gathering and crime prevention.”
Following additional prayers, “the senate mandated security agencies to ensure the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the killing of the retired general without delay.”
The lawmakers also “cautioned against integrating repentant terrorists into the armed forces or other security agencies.” They resolved that “the senate leadership should meet President Bola Tinubu to convey their concerns over the worsening security situation.”
NAN reports that “the lawmakers, thereafter, observed a minute silence in honour of Abubakar and other Nigerians killed by terrorism, insurgency, banditry and kidnapping across the country.”