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Insecurity: Nigerians’ll Revolt, If Action Not Taken — Reps Warn

Published

2 months ago

May 7, 2025

The House of Representatives has warned of citizens revolt, if the Federal Government failed to address insecurity in the country, which has been on the upswing in the last few weeks.

This came on a day Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, told his colleagues that the insecurity and parlous state of the nation’s economy are stretching the patience and resilience of Nigerians to the limit, and asked them to respond with legislative actions.

Lawmakers from areas ravaged by insurgency and killings by herdsmen in the country, who led the debate on the issue at plenary, also accused the Presidency of not doing enough to resolve the insecurity problem in the country, despite the over N19.7 trillion spent on security.

However, efforts to get the Presidency to react to this proved abortive as Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, directed Vanguard to the National Security Adviser, NSA, Malam Nuhu Ribadu.

The NSA could not also be reached at press time last night, as both calls and text messages sent to him were not replied.

But the debate in the House was sparked by a motion of urgent public importance moved by Ahmed Satomi on the recent fire at the armoury at Giwa Barracks and the escalating attacks on military formations in Borno and Yobe states respectively.

The motion soon snowballed into emotional testimonies and dire warnings, with some lawmakers declaring that if urgent steps are not taken by government to solve the problem, Nigerians might turn on their elected representatives.

In his contribution, Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau) rebuked those downplaying the severity of the crisis, saying “when the governor is crying and someone within the comfort of his zone says the governor is raising an unnecessary alarm, we are rascals. Nigerians are being killed. This is unacceptable.

“Until the right thing is done by us here, until government responds with action, not just media statements, don’t bet that any member of the National Assembly is safe. We may be attacked not by Boko Haram, but by the people that elected you and I.

‘’Time will come when, if action is not taken, Nigerians will take their destinies in their own hands.

“Mr. Speaker, we must stand up and find a way of bringing this issue of insecurity to a halt, otherwise, you and I are not safe. No matter how Nigerians respect us, we are moving to a level that they will fight us the way they fight criminals and the way they fight Boko Haram.”

10 killed in Chibok

On his part, Ahmed Jaha (APC, Borno), whose constituency includes Chibok, gave a chilling account of Boko Haram’s exploits in his area.

He said: “10 farmers were slaughtered in Pulka; 14 in Chibok, and military officers at Izge and Kampu. In Wajiboko, Boko Haram used weaponised drones. The Nigerian Army is outgunned and undermanned. I have seen it, nobody told me, I was there.”

Jaha warned the House not to be complacent, saying “between 2015 and 2019, the government spent N19.7 trillion on security, yet Boko Haram is resurging, worse than ever. We must do proper oversight.

“Mr. Speaker, I am talking as a victim of the recent resurgence of Boko Haram insurgence. I went to my constituency on Saturday to sympathise, to condone with the people that lost their lives as a result of this sporadic, uninterrupted attack.

“In my constituency in Pulka, 10 peasant farmers went out to scavenge for what we call ‘sawroot.’ They were slaughtered by Boko Haram members and five are still missing, while three are critically ill in the hospital. In Chibok, 14 peasant farmers were attacked in their community.

“In the twinkle of an eye, they (insurgents) reduced 14 people to nothing. People were cut down while running for their lives by insurgents firing new AK-47 rifles. I lost two military officers as a result of the attack.

‘’In Kampu, I lost two men and one military officer. This will be on record. They (Boko Haram) are using armed drones, weaponised drones, which the Nigerian Army is not using. In other words, they are more sophisticated and advanced than the Nigerian Army.

“Boko Haram is coming back worse than what we had in the past. Take it or leave it. Boko Haram are coming back. Let us do something serious in order not to go back to the days 22 local governments out of 27 were occupied by Boko Haram.

“We shouldn’t be complacent with this. I align with the Deputy Speaker by saying we should do our part by doing proper oversight as expected, because between 2015 and 2019, Nigerian government spent N19.7 trillion on security issues. I have the record with me. So we shouldn’t be complacent.’’

In her contribution, Zainab Gimba (APC, Borno) corroborated the use of drones and foreign fighters in recent attacks.

She said: “In my constituency, 20 soldiers were killed in a Boko Haram ambush on a multinational force base. The commander told me that among the insurgents were several white men; there is foreign influence here.’’

She condemned the positioning of military formations within cities, citing the Giwa Barracks fire in Maiduguri, which led to explosion of military bombs.

“Before the public knew what was happening, panic had already spread. These formations should be outside city centres. Our lives should not be politicised.

“Mr. Speaker, another issue of concern for this House is that the exit of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali from ECOWAS has also posed a lot of threat, especially at the border of Mali and other Nigerian borders.

‘’If there is no synergy, this insurgency will pose several threats to the country, not only to the state.

“We are giving the impression that the fire in Maiduguri came as a result of either a fire source or whatever within the barracks. On that particular day, there wasn’t any Boko Haram attack.

“In my own constituency, in Mungo, Mr. Speaker, there has been a Boko Haram attack on military formation of the multinational joint task force where more than 20 soldiers were killed.

“It will interest you to know that I visited that formation and the commander told me that out of about 100 soldiers in that formation, we have only six Nigerian soldiers. And it is a multinational joint task force where we expect to have, if not equal number, at least substantive number of Nigerian military men.

‘’Again, Mr. Speaker, the commanding officer of that formation revealed that it wasn’t the first or the second time the formation has been attacked, but on that very day, March 24, 2025, the attack was unprecedented.’’

‘Let citizens defend themselves’

Also contributing, Shettima Ali (APC, Yobe) called for legislative reform to allow citizens defend themselves.

He said: “Let this House create a law that permits our people to protect themselves. The security forces are not enough and don’t know the terrain.

“Our people are being killed by the day. I want this House to come up with another idea to deal with our people, we have to think of how to create a law that will allow our people protect themselves; we just need this thing.

“Like Jaha said, our security personnel are inadequate, they don’t know the terrain of our communities, though they are trying their best.’’

In a more sober tone, Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos) said the Federal Government’s security spending is not yielding results.

He said: “The presidency has spent so much on the military without commensurate outcomes. We need drastic measures.”

The House, however, resolved to investigate the cause of the fire at Giwa Barracks armoury in Maiduguri to prevent a recurrence.

It also resolved to conduct a thorough review of security measures in military installations to prevent similar incidents, ask the Federal Government to strengthen security operations in Borno and Yobe states to protect military personnel and civilians; and provide support as well as compensation to families of soldiers affected by the incidents.

The House also mandated the Committee on Army, Defence and National Security to investigate and report back within weeks.

Meanwhile, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, also yesterday expressed worries over how insecurity and the economy were stretching out the patience of Nigeria
According to him, the rising cost of living, the instability in the energy sector, and the persistent insecurity in parts of the nation all demand not just attention, but also legislative action of the Senate

People watching how we respond to insecurity — Akpabio

In his welcome address to his colleagues on the resumption of Senate plenary after the Sallah and Easter break yesterday, Akpabio reminded his colleagues that the people and the world were watching them to see how they respond to the myriad of challenges confronting Nigerians.

The Senate president, who warned his colleagues not to be found wanting, said: “I welcome you all back to this hallowed chamber after what has been a spiritually enriching and reflective recess, marked by the observance of Easter and Eid-el-Fitr.

‘’These sacred seasons, Christianity’s celebration of sacrifice and resurrection, and Islam’s culmination of fasting, prayer, and charity, are not merely religious milestones, they are moral mirrors and national metaphors.

“They remind us of the virtues this country so desperately needs — sacrifice, discipline, patience, unity, and the courage to rise from adversity.

“Let those lessons not remain in the churches or mosques we attended. Let them walk with us into this chamber, speak through our debates, and shine in the quality of the laws we make. The burdens on our shoulders are enormous, and no season better prepares the soul to carry such burdens than the one we’ve just passed through.

“Senators, much has transpired in our dear country while we were away. Our economy continues to stretch the patience and resilience of our people. The rising cost of living, instability in the energy sector, and persisting insecurity in parts of the nation all demand not just attention but also legislative action.

“Legislative action to support the great work the executive arm, led by President Bola Tinubu, is doing to fix the myriad of challenges which besiege our nation.

“In the South-East and North-West, communities still battle criminality and terrorism. In the North-Central, farmers and herders still seek protection and justice. And in the South-South, the questions of environmental equity and resource fairness remain unresolved.

‘’These are not just news headlines, they are the bleeding wounds of the republic. Our people look to us, not for rhetoric, but for rescue. But I believe that there is no river we cannot cross if we put our trust in God and faith in the people He has ordained to lead us in both the executive and legislative arms of our government.

“In the media, during our recess, the reform of our electoral and judicial systems, and the role of the legislature in sustaining democracy are not idle conversations. They are the heartbeat of our democratic future. Let us rise up and meet these expectations.

“Colleagues, Llet us make no mistake, we are under watch. The people are watching. The world is watching. Our constituents are watching. And history silent, but unsleeping is watching.

“No test must find us wanting. No challenge must catch us unprepared. Let every vote we cast, every motion we raise, and every oversight we conduct bear the fingerprints of integrity and patriotism.

“The task ahead of us this session is as solemn as it is historic. We will be examining bills critical to national stability on security reform, economic resilience, education, technology, and youth empowerment. Our committees will delve into oversight functions that could unlock the performance potential of many MDAs.

“Let us carry out our duties with the spirit of statesmen, not partisans. Let us elevate debate over division. Let us govern with grace, not grudge.

“To the Nigerian people, I say this: Your Senate is back at work. And we have not forgotten your hopes, your hardships, or your hunger for change. We are here, refreshed in spirit, renewed in resolve, to build a nation where peace is not an illusion, and progress not a promise, but a pattern.”
(VANGUARD)

Related Topics:House of Representatives Reps

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Congress Newspaper @4: X-Raying The Evolution Of Media In Ijaw Nation

Published

5 hours ago

July 11, 2025

Editor

By Joseph Kanjo

When Congress Newspaper/Online TV was launched four years ago, profit wasn’t the priority. “We weren’t looking at making money,” said Comrade Austin Ozobo, Managing Director of Congress Newspaper and a notable rights activist.

“I was in government as a Senior Special Assistant (SSA), and the salary wasn’t much. But I needed a platform where my voice—and the voices of like-minded individuals, especially my people—could be heard. So, I floated it. But today, things have changed. The profits are coming naturally,” he added.

These remarks came during my phone conversation with Comrade Ozobo, just days ahead of Congress Newspaper’s fourth anniversary celebration on July 10, 2025.

A well-known advocate for the rights of the Ijaw people and president of the Ijaw People’s Development Initiative (IPDI), Ozobo emphasized that his primary motivation was to amplify marginalized voices—especially those of his people. He reflected a sentiment similar to that of British musician and activist Peter Gabriel, who once said, “Those of us who have the eyes and ears of the media have a responsibility to amplify the voices of the voiceless.”

Fifteen years ago, it would have been difficult to count more than a handful of media outlets—whether big or small—owned or managed by individuals Ijaw from the Ijaw extraction.

Despite the many challenges faced by the Ijaw people, particularly due to the complex terrain they inhabit, their voices were largely absent from national conversations.

But today, that narrative has changed—thanks in part to the rise of online media. Now, there are numerous media outlets owned and managed by Ijaw sons and daughters, both in digital and print formats.

These platforms—each with its own mission and vision—nonetheless share a common thread: they give a voice to the people of the creeks, from whose experiences they often draw inspiration.

Some notable Ijaw-owned indigenous media platforms include:
GbaramatuVoice, Ijaw Voice, Ijaw Heritage TV, Arogbe Ibe Reporters, Iduwini Voice, Ogulagha Vanguards, and Egbema Voice.

In addition, several media outlets with broader or foreign-sounding names are also run by Ijaw professionals, including:
Info Daily, The Liberator, Coastal Times, Penglobal, Focal Point Reports, Dailynews Report, Waffi TV, Niger Delta Mirror, Niger Delta Herald, Daily Watch, and Mangrovepen.

Congress Newspaper/TV, though relatively new, has firmly established itself among these platforms as a consistent voice advocating for the Ijaw cause and broader Niger Delta interests.

Some may argue that media organizations should be neutral and unbiased. While this principle remains fundamental to ethical journalism, one cannot ignore the impact of ownership. Around the world, media ownership often shapes editorial direction, intentionally or not.

During his welcome address at the fourth anniversary celebration, Comrade Ozobo reiterated the newspaper’s founding vision: to provide not just information, but empowerment for Niger Delta communities.

“Our mission has always been to champion the voices that often go unheard and to shine a light on the issues that matter most to our people,” he said.

“We believe in the power of ethical journalism, and we remain committed to being a steadfast voice for justice, equity, and truth.”

Ozobo’s words speak to a broader truth: in media, ownership matters. And when that ownership is rooted in community-driven passion and purpose—as it is with Congress Newspaper—it becomes a powerful vehicle for social change.

As Congress Newspaper marks its fourth year, it stands not just as a media outlet, but as a movement—one that continues to reshape the media landscape in the Ijaw nation and beyond.

Joseph Ebi Kanjo is a practising journalist and Managing Editor of INFO DAILY.
editor@infodailyng.com

News

Supreme Court: Jubilant Supporters Stunned, Locked Out Of Edo Govt House [PHOTOS]

Published

10 hours ago

July 11, 2025

Editor

Jubilant supporters of Governor Monday Okpebholo Edo State, were on Friday disappointed as they were locked out from the Edo State Government House, Benin City.

The order not to allow anyone to access the government house was reportedly from an order from above.

The supporters, which included market women and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had gathered at the Benin Airport about 7am, to give the governor a rousing welcome.

The gathering followed Okpebholo’s triumph at the 2024 governorship election legal dispute at the Supreme Court in the nation’s capital, Abuja.

Okpebholo, whose aircraft touched down at the Benin Airport at about 12.40pm was welcomed by the supporters amid jubilation.

The supporters, many of whom were not mobile, proceeded on foot in a road procession with governor Okpebholo’s motorcades- chanting solidarity songs.

The procession, which lasted for about an hour, terminated at the Edo State Government House where the supporters were informed by security operatives that only Very Important Personalities (VIPs) would be allowed into the government house for refreshments.

The bewildered supporters took turns to lament the development, with many raining insults on the authorities.

One of the supporters who identified herself as Mrs. Ebosele Omogiate said: “In the worst moments of ex-governor Godwin Obaseki, supporters and members were not shabbily treated like this.

“They have won now and have decided to build a wall around themselves,” she added.

“I left my house before 7am for the airport and stood under the sun for hours before the arrival of the governor.

“We engaged on a road show with him to the government house, only for us to be shut out. This treatment melted on us is unfair,” another supporter added.

Earlier, addressing the crowd, Governor Okpebholo thanked God for his victory at the Supreme Court.

He promised that in the next two years, Edo people will know that they have a governor.

News

OPINION: BAT Rejects Trump’s Amazing Offer

Published

15 hours ago

July 11, 2025

Editor

Tunde Odesola

The presidential convoy spread out on the Third Mainland Bridge like a cloud of bats on seasonal migration. Sirens screamed. Lights flashed. The convoy of vehicles unfolds like the hail of light produced when the welder’s electrode kisses a metal, shraaaah! shraaaah! E plenty like iná wédà to fóká síbè.

As an insect enthusiast with particular love for beekeeping (cockroaches and bedbugs not included, please), I know that bees, ants and wasps have no kings, but queens, who guard-bees protect with their lives. However, termites have kings and queens, both of whom soldier termites protect with their last blood.

Be they bees, ants, wasps or termites, I love watching the life of cooperation, protection, order and hard work among insects. I love their guards’ provision of security for all and sundry, unlike the guards in this presidential convoy, whose only duty is the protection of the President, his family and bootlickers.

Measuring 11.8 kilometres, the Third Mainland Bridge, a massive masterpiece of concrete and steel work stretching over the Lagos Lagoon, was started in 1975 by the General Yakubu Gowon military administration, and continued by General Murtala Mohammed’s six-month government, before President Shehu Shagari stepped into the picture and did his bit. However, it was General Ibrahim Babangida who took credit for the bridge construction because he ensured its completion in 1990.

If the charismatic Babangida didn’t annul the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by Chief MKO Abiola, he almost certainly would have been preferred by Nigerians to shed his military khaki for the agbada of politics, instead of the less gifted and dour General Muhammadu Buhari, who later got the presidency on fake promises.

Regrettably, Babangida apparently lost political goodwill, honour, peace of mind and two terms of civilian presidency to the June 12 annulment. Little did Nigerians know that the official name of the Third Mainland Bridge is Ibrahim Babangida Bridge, but nobody remembers that; people only remember the abortion of June 12. The things men do, live with them.

It was on this Ibrahim Babangida Bridge that the presidential convoy set out en route to the airport. Jesu! Not even the president of the richest and most powerful nation on earth, Donald Trump, has such a long motorcade. From my vantage point, I counted the number of vehicles in the convoy. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40…Ha! Kilode? Is the president japaing? Probably to make counting difficult, the outriders zigzagged and crisscrossed. So, I stopped at 40-something.

But in the middle of the armoured pack, I saw three Rolls-Royce Phantoms, three Cadillac Escalades, three Mercedes-Benzes, three Cybertrucks and three state-of-the-art buses. None of the cars in the convoy was assembled in Nigeria, despite the government’s avowed propaganda about patronising Made-in-Nigeria goods; not even the wash towels used for cleaning the vehicles were made in Nigeria, nor the foot mats.

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Everywhere was on lockdown: air, land and sea – forcing the sun to hide behind the clouds, and birds vacated the air while the poor man’s movement was put on hold by those he voted for. Only the convoy moved. I yawned inside a Lagos BRT vehicle, wondering why the big men’s movement should stop the movement of citizens on the opposite side of the bridge.

This was when the window of one of the three buses opened, and I glimpsed Nigeria’s most recognisable cap, with its trademark chain symbol, the chain of oppression.

“Haa! Bàba Bàbá ni o! Olowo Eko ni ooo!” a youngster hawking alcoholic drinks and bottled water in traffic shrieked. “It’s the BAT, King BAT, the Lord of Lagos!” a hawker of plantain chips screamed, jumping, “I saw him! I saw him! Baba smiled and waved at me! Baba waved at me! The Asiwaju of the Universe waved at me!” A cripple, who begs in traffic, hissed and shook his head, “Una dey praise those who chain una? Ok o, make una kontiniu, una never see anything.”

The heat in the BRT was stifling, and sweat poured from skin pores. Thoughts of Nigeria flooded my mind. Since I was born and now that I am getting old, I have never seen Nigeria changeth (for good).

Inside the armoured bus, seated at the feet of the Lord of Lagos were members of his innermost circle – Noisome Winke, IdanFemi Gbabiamila, Baba Chief AdeBC, Jide-Olu, and Natasha coveter, Chief Dogswill Akpabi.

In the fleeting moment when the Lord of Lagos let down his window, I saw his gaze travel beyond the hailing roadside traders, resting on the 13-storey Senate Building of the University of Lagos, across the lagoon. I saw desire lit up in his eyes. “My name will suit the university more than its current name. What is UNILAG? Why not UNIBAT?

Winke, the ultimate bootlicker and mind reader, will not miss the opportunity to massage the ego of the Lord of Lagos. Though he cleared his throat, the frog in it would not keep silent. “Jide-Olu, don’t you think you should name UNILAG and this world’s best bridge after our personal Lord and Saviour?” Jide-Olu smiled, “No, Winke. UNILAG and the Third Mainland Bridge do not belong to the state. They belong to the centre, which is headed by our Lord and Saviour.”

Sounding more like a masquerader battling stomach upset during a market show, Winke said, “Uhmm, it doesn’t matter, you can start the call from your end – that our leader deserves the university to be renamed after him. Or does he not?” Jide-Olu, “Why not, if not? In fact, I suggest we should call on the National Assembly to name all federal universities and polytechnics after our leader. That way, the nation will save money.”

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Lord of Lagos: What do you think about these suggestions, Natasha, oh sorry, I mean, Akpabi?

Akpabi: (Smiles like a child eating ice cream, his special Ibibio accent booming loud and clear) Ha, you are our òká o. And, as our òká, iris not too much if we name Nigeria after you, I swear. Nigerians cannot reyect it. On Monday, the yoint session will rook at how we are going to do it, so that the opposition and Nigeria Rabour Congress will not begin their wahala.”

Lord of Lagos: Baba AdeBC, what do you think?

Baba AdeBC: Well, it’s not a bad idea for Nigeria to show gratefulness to her messiah and defender. I think it’s a good idea. (Baba AdeBC beams his trademark smile, which is as lifeless as the beach foam left behind on the shore by the roaring ocean)

Idanfemi: Your Excellency, you have a phone call from the US President, sir.

Lord of Lagos: Oh, connect me, Idanfemi.

Trump: How’re you doing, BAT?

Lord of Lagos: I’m doing great, Donald. Thank you. How’re you and your wonderful family?

Trump: We’re fine, and thanks for asking. Hey BAT, can I pick your brain real quick?

Lord of Lagos: Ha! No oooo; leave my brain alone o. Please, don’t pick it. My brain is old already. Ma se erekere iwo arakunrin yi. When you know you need Nigerian brains, why did you restrict your visa to three-month single entry? If you want millions of Nigerian brains, you open your borders for 24 hours and see.

Trump: No, you’re getting me wrong. I don’t mean to pick your brain literally, I mean to ask for your knowledge and advice on some issues.

Lord of Lagos: Oh, I see. Fear don catch me. I don’t want anything to touch this my political brain o.

Trump: Exactly what I’m saying! That your political brain is what I want to pick. I just saw your convoy on CNN! How do you afford such a large convoy and retinue of sycophants?

Lord of Lagos: That’s not for me to worry. The state takes care of that.

Trump: OMG! You mean the state bears the brunt of all that drain on taxpayers’ money? Are you kidding me!? I think it’s better to be president of your shithole than be president of America, seriously.

Lord of Lagos: You have come with this shithole thing again, Donald? You’re not serious.

Trump: Can you believe that as president, I pay for the food my family and I eat, I pay for drinks and clothes. I pay for private parties when I host them, I pay for gifts when I buy them for foreign dignitaries, I cover my vacation accommodations, and I pay for private events hosted outside the White House. Additionally, I pay for general household items like toilet paper, toothpaste, and garbage bags. Do you know that Bill Clinton incurred $16 million in debt for legal and personal investigation fees, which he paid over time?

Lord of Lagos: (Bursts into laughter) And you say you’re prezdent? Hahahahah! You’re prezdent indeed. Hahahaha! Yes, you’re the most powerful prezdent on earth, but are you the most indulged? Certainly, no! You’re just an administrative paper prezdent, I’m the ultimate ruler.

Trump: I wish we could trade places.

Lord of Lagos: Ha, trade places ke? No ooo! Let me be prezdent of this shithole, you continue to be prezdent of your superpower country. Stay with your democracy. I’ll stay with my empire. I don’t want to be Prezdent of America. I don’t wan die in prison, please.

Email: tundeodes2003@yahoo.com

Facebook: @Tunde Odesola

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