The House of Representatives convened a special plenary session on Tuesday to address the escalating national security challenges facing Nigeria.
The session saw the admission of delegations from St Kitts and Nevis, led by the Speaker of its Parliament, Lanein Blanchette, and representatives from the United States Embassy.
During the meeting, the House is expected to review a consolidated Internal Assessment prepared by relevant committees. This includes reports on security incidents, trends, oversight findings, implementation of prior resolutions, and evidence-based presentations from committees covering defence, national security and intelligence, police affairs, human rights, interior, foreign affairs, women affairs, youth development, and emergency and disaster preparedness.
At the conclusion of the plenary, lawmakers plan to adopt a formal resolution summarising agreed actions, timelines, and oversight mechanisms.
In his opening remarks, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas stressed that “Nigeria’s sovereignty is not negotiable,” while emphasising the importance of Nigeria’s longstanding partnership with the United States in addressing security challenges. He also highlighted the Religious Freedom Accountability Bill, noting that Christian and Muslim communities have been targeted by terrorist groups. Abbas further drew attention to military coups in neighbouring West African nations as a regional security concern.
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Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu said the House plans, within the next six months, to pass legislation prohibiting ransom negotiations and imposing criminal penalties on government officials who engage in or authorise unstructured amnesty deals. He also called for investigations into alleged government negotiations with bandits and the payment of ransoms.
The session comes amid heightened insecurity across the country, including the mass abduction of students and worshippers in recent weeks. Gunmen have kidnapped students in Kebbi and Niger states, prompting school closures across parts of northern Nigeria. Opposition parties and figures have blamed the government for failing to protect lives and properties.
Last week, the US Congress held a public hearing on President Donald Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) on religious freedom. During the hearing, victims, lawmakers, and other stakeholders testified about the rising levels of insecurity, which have resulted in hundreds of deaths, abductions, and widespread property destruction over the past several years.
