Senate Declares Kebbi Insecurity, Mass Displacement National Emergency

The Nigerian Senate has urged the Federal Government to treat worsening insecurity and mass displacement in Kebbi State as a national security and humanitarian emergency following deadly bandit attacks in affected communities.

The resolution was reached on Tuesday after a motion by Senator Adamu Aliero, who represents Kebbi South, on the killings and displacement of residents amid intensified military operations in neighbouring states.

Aliero told the Senate that the movement of armed groups from neighbouring states had heightened insecurity in Kebbi, forcing residents to flee their homes and abandon their livelihoods.

He called on security agencies to intensify coordinated operations to protect vulnerable communities and urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide immediate assistance to displaced persons.

Adopting the motion, the Senate called on the Federal Government to provide additional security personnel, logistics and funding to prevent further attacks and safeguard lives and property.

The upper chamber also urged the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sunday Aneke; and the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to strengthen joint operations with intelligence agencies.

It further called for the deployment of additional security personnel and equipment, alongside improved surveillance and intelligence gathering to identify and neutralise armed groups operating in the state.

On the humanitarian situation, the Senate directed NEMA to assess the needs of displaced residents and provide essential supplies, including food, water, shelter, clothing, bedding, medical supplies and sanitation facilities.

Lawmakers also urged the Federal and Kebbi State governments to establish a joint security and humanitarian response mechanism to coordinate emergency interventions and ensure that affected communities receive timely assistance.

The Senate stressed that restoring security must be accompanied by the safe, voluntary and dignified return of displaced residents, as well as the rehabilitation of damaged facilities, restoration of essential services and recovery of livelihoods.

The chamber also called for a thorough investigation into the killings, including the deaths of three employees of Hitech and other victims, to establish the circumstances surrounding the incidents and ensure accountability.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who presided over the session, expressed sympathy for affected communities and said President Bola Tinubu was committed to restoring peace and assisting displaced residents.