The Senate on Thursday cautioned the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, over remarks dismissing a planned two-day national security summit, warning that such comments risk creating tension between the legislative arm and President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The caution followed the minister’s statement at a briefing in Abuja, where he questioned the relevance of the Senate-organised summit, arguing that strategy, not public forums, is the key to resolving Nigeria’s security challenges.
He said the armed forces are already well-equipped and more advanced than insurgent groups, adding, “Strategy is far more important than a summit. The summit may feed into strategy, but operational directives come from Defence Chiefs, not from public debate.”
His comments drew sharp reactions in Thursday’s plenary, where Senate President Godswill Akpabio expressed concern over what he described as a public undermining of legislative efforts.
“If the Defence Ministry disagrees with any Senate initiative, the proper channel is communication through the appropriate leadership—not public criticism,” Akpabio said.
“We must avoid unnecessary conflict between the arms of government, especially at a time when unity is crucial to national security.”
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele also criticised Badaru’s stance, describing it as discouraging and counterproductive.
He said the Senate was working in alignment with the President’s goals and should not be portrayed as operating at cross purposes.
“To call a Senate-endorsed summit unnecessary is not only inaccurate but unhelpful,” Bamidele said. “Such summits bring together experts, communities, and institutions to provide broader insight, which is vital for developing effective strategies.”
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives on the same day urged President Tinubu to deploy more security personnel to Plateau State following recent deadly attacks in Bokkos and Bassa local government areas.
The resolution came after lawmakers Ishaya Lalu and Daniel Ago moved a motion of urgent public importance, citing continued killings, mass displacements, and destruction of property in the region.
“These attacks have become recurring, and previous efforts have not brought lasting peace,” Lalu said. “We are witnessing a deepening humanitarian crisis, and the response remains inadequate.”
The House, in its resolution, asked the President to strengthen security presence in affected areas and instructed agencies such as NEMA and the National Commission for Refugees to provide emergency relief, medical aid, and establish functioning IDP camps.
The Committees on National Security, Defence, and Police Affairs were also directed to investigate the root causes of the ongoing violence and report back within four weeks.
Additionally, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs was tasked with designing a full rehabilitation plan to restore basic infrastructure in the affected communities.
