The Senate on Tuesday sounded a warning to Northern Governors and the Nigerian military to stop integrating “repentant terrorists” into the larger society on claims of having repented.
The warning came through a resolution after a debate on the deadly activities of the terrorists and bandits who have been killing and abducting innocent Nigerians in many parts of the country.
The debate followed a motion moved by Senator Abdulaziz Yar’ Adua condemning the recent death of a retired Army General, Rabe Abubakar in the captivity of bandits.
Abubakar was abducted in Katsina alongside his wife while traveling by road and were held in captivity until he died from alleged snake bite while the wife sustained gunshot wounds during a rescue operation.
Raising the red flag, the senators cited reports that the late Army General and his wife were abducted by a terrorist gang led by an alleged repentant terrorist.
They expressed grave concern over Nigeria’s worsening security situation, warning that the recent abduction and killing of retired and serving military officers marked a dangerous dimension in the country’s security crisis.
Senator Yar’Adua, drew attention to the growing trend of attacks targeting serving and retired military personnel across the country, describing it as disturbing.
Adopting a resolution on the matter, senators described the late General’s death as a national tragedy and a reflection of the persistent insecurity confronting the country.
“The death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar and others in the custody of terrorists represents not only personal tragedies but also a painful national loss and a stark reminder of the scale and persistence of insecurity confronting the nation,” the Senate said.
The lawmakers also cited a series of attacks on retired military officers between January 2023 and May 2026, including the killing of retired Major General Richard Duru in Owerri after a reported ransom payment of $50,000, the murder of retired Brigadier General O.M. Harold Udokwere in Abuja, the 56-day captivity of former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), retired Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga, and the death of retired Major Aja while in captivity in Kogi State.
The Senate warned that the pattern of attacks represents a troubling evolution in the nation’s security challenges.
According to the resolution, “The increasing frequency with which serving and retired military personnel are being targeted by criminal and terrorist groups represents a dangerous evolution in the nation’s security challenges.”
The lawmakers noted during the debate, that many of the victims had occupied sensitive intelligence, operational and command positions during their years of service, making the attacks a matter of broader national security concern.
The Senate stressed that the implications of the growing insecurity extend beyond the immediate victims and their families, affecting national cohesion, democratic governance and public confidence in state institutions.
“The constitutional responsibility of government to protect lives and property remains fundamental to national unity, democratic stability, economic growth and public trust in governance,” the chamber stated.
The senators commended the Armed Forces, the Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other security agencies for their sacrifices in combating insecurity.
They however called for urgent measures to strengthen intelligence gathering, improve inter-agency coordination, expand the deployment of technology and deepen community engagement in security efforts.
The upper chamber further observed that the persistent wave of kidnappings and killings across the country has led to loss of lives, prolonged captivity of victims, ransom payments, emotional trauma, economic hardship and psychological distress for affected families and communities.
They urged security agencies to intensify efforts to curb the trend and restore public confidence in the nation’s security architecture.
The senators noted with concern the consistent reintegration of the so called repentant terrorists into the society, stressing that some of the criminals did not genuinely repent before their reintegration into the society.
The development, they said, had been partyly responsible for the escalation of terrorist and bandit attacks across many states in Northern Nigeria.
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