The Senate on Wednesday adopted two major motions addressing a spike in insecurity across the country, specifically targeting a series of Boko Haram raids on military bases in Borno State and recurring fatal attacks on rural communities in Benue State.
The upper chamber’s deliberations followed motions sponsored by Senator Tahir Monguno (Borno North) and Senate Minority Leader Senator Abba Moro (Benue South). The sessions were marked by a rare moment of silence to honor fallen personnel, including high-ranking officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.
Senator Tahir Monguno raised the alarm over what he described as coordinated and sophisticated assaults on military formations in Monguno and Benisheikh. These attacks, which reportedly occurred within the last fortnight, resulted in the tragic deaths of several soldiers, including Brigadier General Oseni Braimoh and Colonel Mohammed Isya.
Monguno warned that these strikes on “garrison towns” are a deliberate attempt by insurgents to weaken the military’s foothold and disrupt vital humanitarian corridors.
“The resurgence of these attacks threatens to undermine years of gains made in the counter-insurgency fight,” Monguno stated during the debate.
Parallel to the concerns in the Northeast, Senator Abba Moro presented a motion regarding the “gruesome killings” in Apa Local Government Area. He detailed recent raids on the Ankpali-Edikwu community that left residents dead and thousands displaced. Moro emphasized that the recurring violence has effectively halted farming activities, posing a direct threat to national food security.
In his remarks, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin expressed deep sorrow over the loss of “committed and gallant” soldiers. He assured the chamber and the nation that President Bola Tinubu has already intervened, issuing a stern directive to the armed forces to “double up” their efforts.
According to the Senate leadership, the Presidency has authorized:
- The immediate release of emergency funds for military hardware.
- A comprehensive operational audit of equipment adequacy.
- The deployment of additional personnel to “gap areas” exploited by insurgents.
Following a unanimous condemnation of the attacks, the Senate passed several resolutions. The Chief of Defence Staff is to conduct a thorough review of equipment and tactical readiness at frontline bases. The military has been urged to deploy advanced aerial and technological surveillance to prevent future ambushes. An appeal to the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to provide urgent relief to the displaced populations in Borno and Benue.
The Senate concluded the session by reaffirming its support for the troops of Operation Hadin Kai, while demanding higher levels of accountability and intelligence-driven responses to prevent further loss of lives.
