Reps demand stronger security in Yobe after ISWAP attacks, urge urgent support for displaced victims.
They also seek justice for Ebonyi indigenes killed in Anambra, urge urgent action from security agencies.
The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to significantly scale up security operations in Yobe State following recent deadly attacks by suspected members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The lawmakers are urging for a reinforced military presence, sustained patrols, and swift humanitarian support in affected communities.
This call came after Hon. Khadijat Bukar Abba presented a motion on the floor of the House, drawing attention to the brutal ISWAP attack on Ngurbuwa village in Yobe State on April 18, 2025. During that incident, two Nigerian soldiers and several local vigilantes lost their lives while attempting to defend the community. The attackers also reportedly displaced many residents and destroyed a critical bridge linking the village to surrounding areas, further worsening the plight of survivors and obstructing access to aid.
Hon. Bukar stressed that the rising frequency and boldness of such attacks indicated a disturbing trend that, if left unchecked, could jeopardize national security and further destabilize the North-East region. She emphasized the need for immediate government intervention to reassure affected residents and prevent further bloodshed.
The House also noted that another assault occurred on May 3, 2025, in Buni Yadi, just days after a regional security summit. This raised concerns about intelligence lapses and prompted lawmakers to press the Ministry of Defense and other relevant security agencies to tighten surveillance and coordination in the state.
In a broader directive, the House urged agencies including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the North East Development Commission (NEDC), and the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to swiftly mobilize relief materials and medical support for displaced families and victims of the attacks.
Separately, the House also addressed another critical security issue this time in the South-East. Following a motion of urgent public importance raised by Hon. Igariwey Enwo, lawmakers called for an immediate investigation into the killing of 13 indigenes of Ebonyi State in the Ogboji community, Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The victims, who had gathered for their monthly town union meeting on June 30, 2025, were attacked and killed in what Hon. Enwo described as a “deliberate and premeditated” act. The House expressed alarm that no suspects have been apprehended, and it warned that continued inaction by security agencies could provoke retaliatory attacks, further inflaming tensions and undermining peaceful coexistence in the region.
The House directed the Inspector-General of Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the National Security Adviser (NSA) to launch a thorough investigation and ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice without delay.
Meanwhile, lawmakers also debated a motion concerning the country’s worsening vulnerability to natural disasters. In response to the devastating floods that swept through parts of Niger and Kwara States in late May 2025, the House called on the Federal Government to urgently improve flood mitigation infrastructure and disaster response mechanisms across Nigeria.
Hon. Joshua Gana, who raised the motion, painted a grim picture of the aftermath. According to him, over 500 people died in the floods, more than 600 were declared missing, at least 200 sustained injuries, and more than 4,000 homes were destroyed.
He emphasized the need for proactive measures to combat climate-related disasters, noting that the scale of destruction seen in Niger and Kwara could easily be replicated in other flood-prone states if urgent action is not taken.
In summary, the House of Representatives urged relevant federal agencies to act swiftly on these pressing matters from curbing insurgency in the North-East and resolving violent attacks in the South-East, to bolstering Nigeria’s flood disaster preparedness warning that continued neglect could have dire consequences for national security and public safety.
