Senate vows to end banditry in 2026, pledges increased military support

The Nigerian Senate has vowed that the scourge of armed banditry, insurgency, killings, and kidnappings will be eradicated this year, promising robust support for the military through the 2026 budget.

Speaking on Wednesday in response to a Point of Order by Senator Garba Maidoki (APC, Kebbi South), Senate President Godswill Akpabio expressed optimism that, by the grace of God, 2026 would mark the end of banditry across the country.

“On January 1, my prayer to God, which I shared with the nation, was that banditry and insurgency should end this year,” Akpabio said. “By His grace, in 2026, we will not see our end, but rather we shall witness the end of 2026 and the end of banditry.”

The Senate President acknowledged the challenges of securing Nigeria’s vast terrain, noting that criminal elements often target soft communities while military interventions are largely reactive. He suggested exploring the use of sophisticated drones to monitor vulnerable regions and assured that the National Assembly would consider the 2026 budget to favor the military and the National Orientation Agency for public sensitization.

Earlier, Senator Maidoki lamented the continued attacks in his constituency, stressing the need for immediate funding and reinforcement for the military. He revealed that his own brother, a warrant officer, recently died combating banditry, highlighting the urgent need to strengthen the armed forces. “We must fund the military adequately and decisively end this menace within this year,” Maidoki urged.

The Senate also called on President Bola Tinubu to approve the construction of a new military barracks in Malumfashi, Katsina State, while directing the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to deploy at least three Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) to support intelligence-driven operations, forest patrols, and inter-state collaboration in hotspots.

Communities across Katsina and beyond were urged to remain vigilant, united, and supportive of security agencies, while resisting collaborators who undermine national security. The Senate further instructed the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and NEMA to provide urgent relief for affected families, observing a minute of silence for victims of the recent attacks.

The resolutions followed a motion sponsored by Senator Muntari Dandutse (APC, Katsina South) titled, “Need to Review Approach in Addressing Insecurity in Katsina State – A Call for Immediate and Comprehensive Federal Intervention.”

In presenting the motion, Senator Dandutse highlighted the recent attacks in Katsina, noting that thirty-five people were killed across Funtua Zone in less than two weeks, while over fifty thousand farmlands remain uncultivable due to insecurity, threatening food production and livelihoods.

He further emphasized that criminals continue to exploit porous forest corridors, including Machikan Dutse/Maikasuwa in Kaduna, Fawwa Hill in Kankara, and the Zamfara corridor, complicating rescue missions and inter-state security coordination.

“The Senate is deeply concerned that continued inaction risks mass displacement, collapse of rural livelihoods, and long-term psychological trauma,” Dandutse stated, urging urgent and comprehensive federal intervention.