..Demand details of funds released to security agencies in six months
…Urge Tinubu to expand forest guard recruitment to troubled states
By Anthony Oboh
The House of Representatives has summoned top security and government officials to provide details of funds released to security agencies over the past six months, amid growing concerns over worsening insecurity across the country.
The resolution was adopted during plenary on Tuesday following deliberations on motions addressing the escalating security challenges confronting several parts of Nigeria.
Those invited are the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, service chiefs, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, and the Director-General of the State Security Service (DSS), Adeola Ajayi.
Others invited include the Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mohammed Mohammed.
Lawmakers said the appearance of the officials would enable the House to assess the utilisation of resources allocated to security agencies and evaluate ongoing efforts to address insecurity nationwide.
The House expressed concern over the persistent wave of kidnappings, terrorist attacks and other violent crimes that have continued to threaten lives and livelihoods in many communities.
As part of its resolutions, the Green Chamber urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the recruitment of forest guards in states experiencing security challenges, replicating a recent initiative introduced in Oyo State.
Members argued that the deployment of trained forest guards would strengthen surveillance in remote areas often exploited by criminal elements and insurgents.
The lawmakers noted that forests and ungoverned spaces have increasingly become hideouts for kidnappers, bandits and terrorist groups operating across the country.
The House’s intervention comes against the backdrop of recent mass abductions that have sparked widespread public outrage and renewed calls for decisive action by the government.
Last month, more than 40 students and teachers were reportedly abducted from schools in Oyo State by suspected terrorists, raising fresh concerns about the safety of educational institutions.
A similar incident occurred in Borno State, where scores of students and teachers were kidnapped, further underscoring the scale of the security crisis.
The abductions triggered protests by the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), which mobilised demonstrations across the country demanding the immediate release of the victims and improved security around schools.
Civil society organisations and community groups also staged protests, urging the Federal Government to intensify rescue operations and strengthen measures to prevent future attacks.
In response to the Oyo incident, President Tinubu dispatched a high-powered delegation to the affected community.
The delegation included the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, the Inspector-General of Police, and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
During meetings with community leaders and residents, Gbajabiamila conveyed the President’s concern over the incident and reassured families of the abducted victims that every available resource would be deployed to secure their release.
According to him, the President’s decision to send top security officials to the affected area demonstrated his administration’s commitment to ending the menace of mass abductions.
The Federal Government subsequently approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards to strengthen security operations and improve intelligence gathering in vulnerable locations.
President Tinubu also directed the establishment of a specialised security unit equipped with advanced rescue capabilities to intensify efforts aimed at securing the release of abducted pupils and teachers.
Lawmakers maintained that while security agencies have received substantial budgetary allocations in recent years, there remains a need for greater accountability and transparency regarding the deployment of those resources.
The House expressed hope that the engagement with security and financial authorities would provide clearer insight into ongoing security operations and help identify additional measures needed to curb insecurity across the country.
