The minority caucus of the House of Representatives has called on President Bola Tinubu to withdraw $5 billion from Nigeria’s external reserves to tackle the worsening insecurity in northern Nigeria.
In a statement signed by Minority Leader Fredrick Agbedi and the caucus spokesperson, Afam Victor Ogene, the lawmakers said the frequency and scale of attacks across several northern states had become unacceptable.
They urged Tinubu to take immediate and comprehensive measures to stop the killings, rescue abducted Nigerians and reclaim communities held by terrorists, bandits and other criminal groups.
The caucus cited recent attacks in Plateau, Niger, Sokoto, Kaduna, Katsina and Borno states, arguing that the security situation could no longer be addressed mainly through statements condemning attacks.
“If funding is an issue, the government should draw $5 billion from the nation’s external reserves for an extraordinary national security intervention,” the lawmakers said.
They also urged the president to replicate the intelligence-led operation that secured the release of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The lawmakers called for security forces to dominate affected areas and conduct coordinated operations in forests, hideouts and criminal enclaves used by terrorists and bandits, stressing that any lockdown should target criminals rather than innocent residents.
The caucus further urged Tinubu to visit Zamfara State and engage directly with communities affected by banditry and terrorism.
On military welfare, the lawmakers welcomed the recent increase in armed forces salaries but asked the president to urgently forward the required amendment to the 2026 Appropriation Act and a supplementary appropriation bill to the National Assembly.
They said the National Assembly was prepared to reconvene, if necessary, to fast-track the process.
The caucus also called for the immediate release of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, describing his continued detention as political persecution.