As activities of terrorists and bandits continue unabated, leaving behind tears and blood, the minority caucus in the House of Representatives yesterday asked President Bola Tinubu to suspend all political activities related to the 2027 elections and announce a six-month national security and economic recovery plan.

Speaking with journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, Fred Agbedi, Reps Minority Leader, claimed that Tinubu is focused on re-election politics rather than the safety and welfare of citizens. He said the country is facing an unprecedented crisis marked by killings, kidnappings, economic hardship and what he described as attempts to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections.

Similarly, former Military Governor of Kaduna State, Dangiwa Umar, has written an open letter to President Tinubu, commending him for honouring the heroes of the June 12 struggle while delivering a stark reminder of the unfulfilled promises of Nigeria’s democratic journey.

In the letter, however, Umar, a retired colonel, quickly pivoted from praise to a sobering critique of the nation’s current trajectory, urging the administration to address pressing national crises, particularly insecurity and poverty, urgently.

Similarly, retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Ade Ajakaiye, has intensified calls for the creation of state police, warning that Nigeria’s worsening security situation has made decentralised policing an urgent national priority.

Citing the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) report indicating that 2,266 persons were killed in just six months, Ajakaiye argued that the country’s centralised policing structure has become overstretched and incapable of responding effectively to emerging security threats across the federation.

According to him, rising incidents of kidnapping, terrorism, armed robbery, farmer-herder clashes and communal violence have exposed the limitations of the current system, stressing that state police would provide faster response, stronger intelligence gathering and improved community-based security.

Re-echoing the call, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams and Prof. Akin Alao of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), stressed the need for effective security reforms and speedy completion of legislative processes that will allow the establishment of state police. Specifically, they urged President Tinubu and the Senate to expedite action on passing the state police bill into law, after the House of Representatives gave its nod for the establishment of state police following a constitutional amendment process last week.

It is expected that the state police bill will be on the front burner after the Senate leadership already summoned lawmakers for an emergency sitting on Tuesday, June 23, to deliberate on matters relating to national security and other urgent national issues.

ONLY yesterday, some bandits killed nine people and injured 11 others in Unguwar Magaji community, Kamaru Ward of Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Spokesperson for the Irigwe Youth Movement, Joseph Yonkpa, confirmed the incident on Wednesday.

Initial information suggested that two people were killed in the attack. However, Yonkpa stated that subsequent search and recovery operations led to the discovery of seven additional bodies, raising the total death toll to nine. The attackers were said to have used firearms during the assault and also targeted children with machetes, leaving the residents deeply traumatised.

Submitting yesterday, the Reps Minority Leader said: “The life of every Nigerian matters. Politics must take the back seat when the nation bleeds. We must secure Nigeria first. President Tinubu must suspend all 2027 political activities and declare a six-month national security and economic recovery plan. Lead or leave.”

Agbedi, who was flanked by his colleagues, described the killing of Rabe Abubakar, a retired major general, who died while in captivity after being abducted alongside his wife in Katsina State, as a “national shame” and evidence of a failed security architecture.

He said the death of the former military officer underscores the deteriorating security situation in the country and raises concerns over the safety of ordinary citizens.

The lawmaker also condemned the continued captivity of schoolchildren and their tutors abducted in Oyo State, accusing the government of failing to take decisive action against mass kidnappings. He called for a special military operation to secure the release of the victims within 72 hours, adding that every hour they spend in captivity represents “an hour stolen from Nigeria’s future”.

“From Sokoto to Enugu, from Borno to Lagos, the story is the same: hunger, killings, kidnappings, collapse of the naira, collapse of hope. Yet what preoccupies the ruling party and the Presidency is 2027, endorsement rallies, defections, re-election strategies and town hall meetings to discuss tenure security.

“The life of every Nigerian matters. Politics must take the back seat when the nation bleeds. We must secure Nigeria first. Government exists primarily for the security and welfare of the people. Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution is not a suggestion. It is a mandate”, he said.

For the former Military Governor of Kaduna, Umar expressed appreciation to the President for publicly recognising the military officers and civilians who risked their lives to fight the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, but called for urgent action to address pressing national crises, particularly insecurity and poverty.

MEANWHILE, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has charged officers to take the fight directly to criminals, stating that “It is far better to strike first and stay on the offensive than to remain only reactive.”

The IGP, who spoke on Wednesday in Kano during a strategic meeting with officers of the Kano State Command, noted that ‘when bandits know we fire back decisively, they will think twice. Keep pushing hard, stay sharp, and sustain this momentum.”

Represented by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the North-West region, Suleiman Abdul, the IGP announced the establishment of six core administrative pillars designed to strengthen the internal security framework.
Notable among the pillars is the operationalisation of “Handshake Patrols” between contiguous states to deny criminals jurisdictional escape routes.

IGP Disu also announced a renewed commitment to intelligence-led and technology-driven security management, adding that the police are moving away from purely conventional, reactive methods towards evidence-based law enforcement powered by data analytics, digital forensics and a centralised information framework.

The IGP further committed to restructuring elite tactical units, with operations governed by strict rules of engagement and civilian oversight. He stressed that modern urban policing cannot be achieved through physical presence alone; it must be powered by timely, accurate and actionable information.