Senate urges Tinubu to allow gun ownership for self-defence

• To amend Terrorism Act to designate kidnapping as terrorist act punishable by death
• Dissolves National Security and Intelligence, Navy committees
• Army, Navy, Defence and Interior committees to brief Senate on addressing insecurity in closed-door session
• Asks President Tinubu to further rejig his security team
• To investigate withdrawal of security before Kebbi school attack, and circumstances surrounding death of Brig. Gen. Uba Musa

From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja

The Senate on Tuesday took far-reaching decisions as insecurity escalates across multiple states, calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to move for review of the Firearms law to permit responsible Nigerians to own guns for self-defence.

It also resolved to initiate amendments to the Terrorism (Prevention) Act to classify kidnapping as an act of terrorism punishable by death.

The lawmakers also dissolved the Senate Committees on National Security and Intelligence, as well as the Navy Committee, and directed the Committees on Army, Navy, Defence and Interior to brief the Senate in a closed-door session on comprehensive strategies to address nationwide insecurity, while urging President Tinubu to “further rejig” his security team for more effective response to emerging threats.

Going further, it resolved to urgently investigate why security operatives were withdrawn moments before the bandits’ attack on GGCSS, Maga, Kebbi State girls’ school in Kebbi State and to also probe the circumstances surrounding the death of Brigadier General Uba Musa.

These resolutions followed a motion of national importance raised by a lawmaker from Kwara State, Lola Ashiru, on the urgent need to address escalating insecurity in Kwara, Kebbi, Niger States, and other parts of the country, which highlighted the rising wave of violent attacks, mass abductions, school closures and expanding criminal networks.

The lawmaker expressed alarm about the November 18 attack on the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Eruku, in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State where armed assailants stormed the church during worship, killed two persons and abducted 38 who were later freed through coordinated security operations.

He noted that the incident triggered widespread school closures in five local government areas of Kwara, Ekiti, Ìsìn, Irepodun, Ifelodun and Oke-Ero, and in Niger and Kebbi States. Additionally, all 47 Federal Unity Schools nationwide were also shut down temporarily, disrupting education for thousands of children and deepening fear.

Ashiru warned that the Eruku attack was part of a disturbing national pattern, referencing the recent abductions of students in Kebbi and Niger States which exposed the acute vulnerability of schools, worship centres and farms to terrorist and bandit attacks.

The motion raised grave concerns over credible intelligence showing the involvement of internal collaborators who provide criminals with logistics, information and escape routes, while noting the increasing sophistication of terrorist groups who intercept communications, conduct surveillance on targets and scavenge personal items after raids.

The lawmaker observed that criminal gangs continue to exploit porous forest corridors such as the Kwara–Kogi axis, the Kebbi–Zamfara route and the Shiroro–Rafi–Munya belt of Niger, making rescue operations more difficult. He lamented that Kwara South alone has recorded over 40 abductions in 18 months, mirroring troubling trends in neighbouring states and threatening schools, farms and rural livelihoods.

They warned that if urgent action is not taken, Nigeria risks mass displacement, prolonged school shutdowns and severe psychological trauma for children and vulnerable groups.

However, the Senate commended President Tinubu for what it described as his “exemplary leadership and swift response” to the attacks in Eruku, Kebbi and Niger, noting his decision to cancel planned foreign trips to coordinate security efforts. It said ongoing federal operations contributed to the rescue of 51 abducted students in Niger State and all 38 victims in Kwara.

Among other things, it urged the Federal Ministry of Works to begin immediate reconstruction of highways where bandits operate across the country, while mandating the Nigerian Army, Police, DSS and Defence Intelligence Bureau to intensify intelligence-driven operations, including aerial surveillance, forest combing and community-based intelligence gathering.

It advised the Federal Government to strengthen local vigilante groups for quicker response to attacks, including reviewing Nigeria’s firearm laws to allow responsible citizens to own guns as permitted in over 175 countries.

The Senate also mandated diplomatic engagement with the United States and allied nations to boost intelligence sharing, counter-terrorism training and technological cooperation.

The lawmakers observed a one-minute silence in honour of the victims of recent attacks.

In their submissions, lawmakers supported the motion, with many putting the blame squarely at the feet of past administrations.

However, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe cautioned them to focus on the present administration and what it is doing to address the issue at hand.

He said, “We are being told here that we shouldn’t say anything against. We are being told that, oh, you shouldn’t talk about the past. You should focus on the present. Yet. on this floor rather than focus on what we are supposed to talk about we go back to say oh during 2015,the Chibok girls kidnap happened and oh, we are now rescuing people.

“At that time during Chibok, 17 local governments in Katsina were not having problems with bandits. People in Kebbi were not leaving all the rural areas and coming to only the urban areas to stay. People in Niger were not being kidnapped.

“Today, I only want to say, let us do the right thing. We’re not blaming this government for what they are finding itself, but it is the government in power and they should do the right thing.”

On his part, Minority Leader, Abba Moro noted, “Mr. President, some of these tactics are becoming increasingly, obviously counterproductive because it will appear as if perceived or real payment of ransom emboldened these bandits to continue in their exploits.

“And so Mr. President, I think that the time has come when the leader has said, for this country to develop a comprehensive security policy that seeks to prevent these acts of banditry and kidnapping rather than reacting to situations where our people and communities have been affected.”