In a move that blurs the lines between legislative duties and event planning, the Nigerian Senate has constituted a 20-member committee to organise a National Security Summit.
While the nation grapples with escalating security challenges, the lawmakers have taken it upon themselves to design the framework for a summit aimed at addressing these issues.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the formation of the committee on May 6 during a plenary session, emphasising the need for a comprehensive approach to national security.
Yes, you heard right. The 10th Senate, in all its legislative capacity, has resolved to hold a two-day National Security Summit to address the country’s increasingly complex security challenges. Because when bullets fly, summon a committee.
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Announced during a resumed plenary, Senate President Godswill Akpabio unveiled the elite squad of 20 senators tasked with organising the summit.
Not to fight terrorists. Not to fund security agencies. No, their mandate is to organise the summit: agenda-setting, discussion point selection, and maybe DJ bookings (okay, maybe not that last one).
Leading the squad is Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central) with Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North) as his able vice.
The Avengers-style roll call includes notable names like Ireti Kingibe (FCT), Adebule Idiat (Lagos), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), and the Clerk of the Senate, Andrew Nwoba. Because nothing screams “national security” like robust clerical support.
The Senate wants results in two weeks, apparently giving insecurity the kind of deadline Nigerian projects usually ignore.
It’s past the two-week deadline, and the committee hasn’t come up with a report, nor has the security summit been held.
Now, for those thinking, “Didn’t we do this before?”—yes, we did. Back in 2018, the 8th National Assembly held a similar summit, complete with hotel conference rooms and air-conditioned policy dialogues.
Twenty recommendations were made. Billions were spent. Little to nothing changed. Fast-forward to today, and insecurity is still the main character in Nigeria’s daily script, only now with better weapons and worse headlines.
One of those golden 2018 recommendations included low-interest loans for herders to ranch peacefully.
Fast-forward to 2025, and we’re still asking: Where are the loans? Where are the ranches? Where is the peace?
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Other noble suggestions involved depoliticising security, strengthening local arms production, and integrating Almajiri education into formal systems.
Grand ideas. Sadly, they’re mostly gathering dust in government drawers next to the dreams of uninterrupted power supply and functional refineries.
To be fair, a few senators voiced concern about repeating a “summit déjà vu.” But because democracy thrives on voice votes (and perhaps weak memories), the motion carried. Again.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives is also somewhere in the background, trying to organise its version of a security summit. At this rate, Nigeria might have more summits than soldiers.
Even the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, briefly attempted to inject logic into the conversation.
During a press briefing, he dismissed the idea of yet another summit, suggesting that an actual strategy might be more helpful. Bold. But by Sunday, the Minister had walked back his words like a man who realised he just RSVPed ‘no’ to a party everyone else was attending.
He now calls the summit a “timely initiative,” vowing to participate and make sure its outcomes “translate into action.” We’ll see.
While some optimistic Nigerians may hope this summit will usher in actual change, others can’t help but worry that it’s just another legislative group project, plenty of talking, a fancy report, and zero implementation. Because, let’s face it, what has been said in these summits that hasn’t already been printed on the pages of countless committee reports, think tanks, and newspaper op-eds?
Still, let’s give credit where it’s due. Our senators are showing initiative. It may not be the kind of initiative that directly reduces the rate of kidnappings, banditry, or insurgency, but it’s the kind that looks good in press releases.
And if all else fails, maybe the Senate can pivot fully into the events industry. At least then, we can count on them to plan excellent memorials for the security they failed to uphold.
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Insecurity, As Usual
While the Senate plans a summit, Nigerians are living the security crisis in real-time.
On Thursday, the Senate called for a security beef-up along the borders of Taraba, Plateau, and Bauchi States, aimed at curbing the free movement of criminal elements. This appeal came amid reports of rising attacks across regions.
In Kogi-West Senatorial District alone, no fewer than 30 persons were kidnapped in the last seven days.
Among the abductees is Oba James Dada Ogunyanda, the Obalohun of Okoloke in Yagba-West LGA, who has remained in captivity since May 15.
Senator Sunday Steve Karimi, Chairman of the Senate Services Committee, raised the alarm during a motion on yet another violent farmer-herder conflict in Munga Lelau, Maigami, in Taraba’s Karim Lamido LGA. The clash reportedly claimed many lives, razed 47 houses, and displaced about 200 people.
Karimi blamed the escalating violence on “disgruntled elements” allegedly working to undermine President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
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“This is looking like a repeat of the events that played out before the 2015 elections, when some people threatened that the heavens would fall if they did not win,” he said.
Senator Isa Lau, who moved the motion, stressed the need for urgent intervention and support for displaced victims. The Senate subsequently urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to send relief materials to affected communities.
As the Senate gears up for yet another summit, the violence continues unabated in the hinterlands, real blood, real loss, and real terror.
But hey, at least we’ll have a well-organised event to show for it.
