Security Concerns: Senators Condemn Alarming Rise in Assaults Targeting Military Officers

The Nigerian Senate expressed deep concern on Tuesday over the deteriorating security situation in the country, citing the alarming rate of abductions and killings of retired military officers by terrorists and criminal gangs as a stark indication of a worsening crisis.

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This escalating trend, the Senate warned, poses a significant threat to the nation's stability, public trust, and security framework, as it targets not only retired military personnel but also serving officers.

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The Senate's concern was triggered by a motion presented by Senator Abdulaziz Yar'Adua during a plenary session, which focused on the abduction and subsequent death of retired Major General Alkali Abubakar, a former Director of Defence Information, who was taken alongside his wife in Katsina State on May 30, 2026.

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In response to the motion, the Senate observed a moment of silence in honor of the late general and resolved to extend condolences to his family and the Nigerian Armed Forces, acknowledging that his death reflects the broader insecurity challenges facing the nation.

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The lawmakers described the death of retired Major General Alkali Abubakar as a profound national loss, underscoring the pervasive threat of insecurity that transcends personal tragedies to affect the entire country.

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According to the Senate, the death of retired Major General Alkali Abubakar and other individuals in terrorist custody constitutes a painful national loss and a stark reminder of the scale and persistence of insecurity confronting the nation.

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The Senate also highlighted a disturbing pattern of attacks targeting serving and retired military personnel, citing several incidents between January 2023 and May 2026, including the killing of retired Major General Richard Duru in Owerri after a reported ransom payment of $50,000.

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Additional incidents mentioned by the Senate include the murder of retired Brigadier General O.M. Harlord Udokwere in Abuja, the 56-day captivity of former National Youth Service Corps Director-General, retired Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga, and the death in captivity of retired Major Aja in Kogi State.

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The Senate warned that the increasing frequency of such attacks signals a troubling shift in the country's security landscape, with far-reaching implications for national unity and democratic stability.

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The Senate stated that the rising frequency of attacks on serving and retired military personnel represents a dangerous evolution in the nation's security challenges, given that many victims previously held sensitive positions in intelligence, operations, and command.

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The upper chamber emphasized that the insecurity now extends beyond individual victims, affecting national unity, democratic stability, and public trust in government, and that the government's constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property remains fundamental to these aspects.

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The Senate noted that the government's ability to protect its citizens is essential to maintaining national unity, democratic stability, economic growth, and public trust in governance, and that the current security situation undermines these principles.

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While acknowledging the sacrifices of the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other security agencies in combating insecurity, the Senate called for urgent improvements in intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, technology deployment, and community engagement.

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The Senate further observed that the persistent wave of kidnappings and killings across the country has resulted in numerous deaths, prolonged captivity, ransom payments, emotional trauma, economic hardship, and psychological distress for victims, their families, and the nation as a whole.

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This situation, the Senate emphasized, underscores the urgent need for a more coordinated and effective national security response to address the pervasive insecurity challenges facing the country.