Reps minority caucus seeks $5bn from reserves to combat insecurity

The minority caucus of the House of Representatives has called on President Bola Tinubu to withdraw $5 billion from Nigeria’s external reserves to strengthen the fight against worsening insecurity in northern Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Minority Leader of the House, Fredrick Agbedi, and the caucus spokesperson, Afam Victor Ogene, said the increasing number and frequency of attacks across the region had become unacceptable.

The lawmakers urged the Federal Government to take urgent steps to address the security challenges and protect communities affected by the attacks.

The caucus called on Tinubu to take “immediate, decisive and comprehensive action” to halt the killings, rescue abducted citizens and reclaim communities occupied by terrorists, bandits and criminal gangs.

The lawmakers cited recent attacks in Plateau, Niger, Sokoto, Kaduna, Katsina and Borno states.

“This is no longer a situation that can be addressed principally through statements of condemnation after every attack. Nigeria requires a sustained, coordinated and overwhelming security response,” the statement reads in part.

“If funding is an issue, the government should draw $5 billion from the nation’s external reserves for an extraordinary national security intervention.”

The minority caucus urged Tinubu to replicate the strategy used to rescue schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oriire LGA of Oyo, where victims were freed following an intelligence-led operation targeting the kidnappers’ networks and hideouts.

The lawmakers asked the president to “lock down the affected theatres of operation, dominate the territory and sweep the forests, hideouts and criminal enclaves where terrorists and bandits operate”.

They said the proposed lockdown should target the operational areas of criminal groups, rather than innocent residents.

“We are not asking the President to lock down innocent Nigerians. We are asking the Commander-in-Chief to lock down the operational space of terrorists and bandits, deny them freedom of movement, cut off their supply lines and communications and deploy overwhelming force,” the statement added.

The caucus also urged Tinubu to visit Zamfara to engage directly with communities affected by terrorism and banditry, saying such a move would demonstrate leadership and reassure affected residents.

‘FAST-TRACK SOLDIERS’ PAY INCREASE’

The lawmakers also commended the recent increase in the salaries of members of the armed forces, describing it as an important step towards improving their welfare and morale.

However, they urged Tinubu to immediately forward the necessary amendment to the 2026 Appropriation Act and a supplementary appropriation bill to the national assembly to provide the legal and financial framework for implementing the increase.

The minority caucus noted that it is ready to support the reconvening of the national assembly, if necessary, to fast-track the process.

“The welfare of our soldiers cannot be subjected to avoidable procedural delays when the nation is at war with terrorists and bandits,” the lawmakers said.

The caucus also demanded the immediate release of Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, whose continued detention they described as “political persecution”.

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