THE Nigerian Senate has issued an urgent call for the Federal Government to suspend its rehabilitation and reintegration programme for Boko Haram members, as concerns mount over the escalating attacks targeting serving and retired military personnel across the country.
The resolution, adopted during Tuesday’s plenary session, comes in response to a motion tabled by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, who warned that the increasing frequency of assaults on military figures represents a dangerous shift in the nation’s security landscape.
Senator Yar’Adua painted a grim picture of the current situation, chronicling a series of high-profile incidents that have sent shockwaves through the armed forces community. Among the cases cited were the abduction of retired Colonel Rabiu Garba Yandoto and his two children in Zamfara State in January 2023, and the tragic killing of retired Major General Richard Chukwudi Duru in Imo State in September 2023, despite a $50,000 ransom being paid.
The lawmaker also recalled the murder of retired Brigadier General Uwem Udokwere at his residence in Abuja’s Lokogoma district in June 2024, and the 56-day ordeal of former NYSC Director General, Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga, who was eventually freed in April 2025.
More recently, the abduction and death of retired Major Joe Ajayi in Kogi State in May 2025, and the kidnapping of retired Colonel Joseph Ajanaku in Plateau State in January 2026, were highlighted. The motion also referenced the devastating abduction and killing of former Director of Defence Information, Major General Rabe Abubakar, who was taken alongside his wife in Katsina State on May 30, 2026.
Senator Yar’Adua described the killing of General Abubakar and other victims while in terrorist custody as “a painful national loss” that underscores the persistent insecurity confronting the country.
The Senate expressed grave concern that many of the targeted individuals had previously held sensitive operational, intelligence and command positions within the nation’s security apparatus, warning that the trend signals a troubling shift in terrorist tactics.
As part of its resolutions, the upper chamber has directed its committees responsible for security matters to strengthen oversight of security agencies and ensure that the nation’s security chiefs are held accountable for the deteriorating situation.
Furthermore, the Senate resolved that a delegation led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio should meet with President Bola Tinubu to discuss the worsening security crisis and explore urgent solutions.
The chamber concluded by calling on the Federal Government to ensure the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for violent crimes, while strengthening the nation’s security response through enhanced oversight and presidential engagement.
