The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday intensified calls for a major overhaul of the country’s security system, urging President Bola Tinubu to approve the recruitment of 100,000 additional military personnel. Lawmakers said this move was necessary to confront insurgency, banditry, and rising school abductions affecting rural communities.
Their demand followed renewed concern over the Safe School Programme, particularly after last week’s attack on Government Girls School, Maga, in Kebbi State, where gunmen killed the vice principal and abducted at least 25 students. Senators questioned how funds allocated to the programme were being used, given the frequent assaults on educational institutions.
The motion that triggered the debate was presented by Senator Adams Oshiomhole from Edo North. He called for a bold expansion of the armed forces and a full security audit. “Recruiting 100,000 personnel will not only strengthen our troops but also provide employment for our youth,” he stated. Oshiomhole also criticised what he described as the “commercialisation of national security,” demanding accountability for money released to protect schools.
He further asked for improved technology and tracking systems to dismantle criminal networks operating across the country. Senate President Godswill Akpabio chaired the charged session before leading senators into a closed-door meeting. He agreed with Oshiomhole’s proposals and emphasised that criminals were now deliberately targeting vulnerable groups.
“Crime is crime, regardless of the administration under which it occurs,” Akpabio said, while offering sympathy to the families affected in the Maga attack. He supported fresh recruitment and called for an investigation into the Safe School Programme.
The discussions highlighted deepening worries over Nigeria’s defence capacity and the urgency to rebuild public confidence. Many senators argued that without reforms, citizens would continue to feel unsafe and institutions such as schools would remain exposed to attacks.
