The Senate has reacted strongly to the killing of at least 56 people in an attack on communities in Niger State, calling the incident brutal and demanding immediate reinforcement of security in the affected areas.
The matter was raised during an emergency sitting on Tuesday, February 17, by Senator Sani Musa, who represents Niger East, through a motion of urgent national importance.
Musa informed the chamber that the attack targeted Konkoso and neighbouring Pissa villages, leaving more than 56 dead and an unknown number of women and children abducted by the assailants.
He told lawmakers that the villages are located near dense forests that straddle state boundaries, providing terrorists with routes for movement and coordination of attacks across multiple states.
The senator painted a grim picture of the security situation in the North-Central region, saying rural communities and farming areas were bearing the brunt of escalating violence that now threatened food production, local livelihoods, and the broader stability of the country.
Musa acknowledged the efforts of President Bola Tinubu and the armed forces in fighting terrorism but said the frequency of attacks on isolated communities showed that significant gaps remained in intelligence, coordination, and the ability to respond quickly when violence erupts.
He described the abduction of women and children as a deepening humanitarian disaster that was leaving lasting psychological scars on families and tearing communities apart.
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Without a comprehensive overhaul of the country’s security infrastructure, Musa warned, such attacks would keep happening regardless of the military operations being conducted across the country.
Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno backed the motion and drew attention to what he described as a critical funding gap.
“In the course of the ongoing budget defence, we discovered that there were zero capital budget releases to security agencies,” Monguno said.
“So, in line with the president’s declaration of a state of emergency on security, prominence should be given to security agencies,” he added.
The chamber observed a minute of silence for the victims and sent condolences to the families affected and the government of Niger State.
Senators approved a resolution calling for the immediate deployment of additional security forces to the local government areas hit by the attack.
They also tasked the committees on Defence, Army, Air Force, Police Affairs, and National Security with conducting a joint assessment and reporting back within four weeks.