The Senate on Wednesday formally urged the Federal Government to consider far-reaching emergency measures, including the potential suspension of all political activities in eight frontline states.
The recommendation follows a surge in insurgent offensives that have left local communities reeling and prompted lawmakers to question the efficacy of current military strategies.
The motion was sparked by a Point of Order raised by Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) during Wednesday’s plenary. Delivering a somber assessment of the crisis, Ningi warned his colleagues against the ‘false sense of security’ provided by the capital’s relative calm.
“Mr. President, we cannot continue to think that because we are in Abuja, therefore this thing does not affect us,” Ningi stated. “One of the things that we must do… is either to suspend all political activities across this country or look at the frontline states.”
The Senator specifically identified eight states currently bearing the brunt of the violence: Borno, Plateau, Bauchi, Benue, Niger, Sokoto, Kebbi and Kano (select regions).
The Senate’s call comes on the heels of several high-profile attacks reported over the last 48 hours in the North-West and North-Central zones.
The proposal to suspend political activities—ranging from campaign rallies to local government administrative functions—is seen as a radical attempt to allow security forces to operate without the logistical and civilian complications that accompany political gatherings.
While the proposal met with some debate regarding the constitutional implications of halting political processes, the overarching sentiment in the red chamber was one of urgency. Supporters of the motion argued that “business as usual” is no longer an option when citizens in the mentioned states cannot safely access their farms or markets.
The Senate President, responding to the gravity of the motion, directed the relevant committees on Security and Intelligence to engage with the Executive immediately to assess the feasibility of these emergency measures.
