House of Reps Pushes for Improved Relations With Neighboring Sahel States to Tackle Banditry in North West
House of Reps Pushes for Improved Relations With Neighboring Sahel States to Tackle Banditry in North West
- Calls for urgent military reinforcement in Sokoto
In a bold diplomatic shift aimed at curbing the escalating wave of banditry plaguing communities in Nigeria’s North West, the House of Representatives has resolved to engage neighboring Sahel states, especially the Republic of Niger, in renewed regional cooperation on security.
This move comes as part of a comprehensive resolution passed in response to the deteriorating security situation in Kebbe and Tambuwal Federal Constituency of Sokoto State, where banditry, mass abductions, and armed violence have wreaked havoc in recent months.
The motion, sponsored by Rep. Abdussamad Dasuki (Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency), mandates the House Committees on ECOWAS Parliament and Foreign Affairs to actively pursue the normalization of Nigeria’s diplomatic relations with Niger Republic and other Sahel nations. The aim is to enable cross-border intelligence sharing and regional cooperation to combat the flow of arms, insurgency, and transnational banditry that continue to destabilize Nigeria’s border communities.
The motion, sponsored by Rep. Abdussamad Dasuki (Kebbe/Tambuwal), was presented as a matter of urgent national importance during plenary. Dasuki described a “dire security situation” in his constituency, marked by coordinated assaults by armed bandits across several wards throughout August 2025.
According to Rep Dasuki, the violence reached critical levels with incidents such as: August 12 attack on Fakku Ward, Kebbe LGA with five killed, 28 abducted, and 37 cows rustled; August 15 Sangi Ward raid forcing mass displacement to neighboring towns; August 18 Ungushi Ward attack resulting in two residents killed, seven abducted, and livestock stolen; August 20 displacement of multiple villages in Jabo/Kagara Ward, Tambuwal LGA; August 23 abduction of three young businessmen in Tambuwal/Shinfiri Ward; July 16 and August 25 repeated incidents in Tambuwal town, including the abduction of three daughters of a local resident and the kidnapping of PDP Youth Leader Abdullahi Zaki, who remains missing despite ransom payments.
“The lives and livelihoods of our people are under siege,” Rep Dasuki said. “Families are mourning, farms are abandoned, children are out of school, and communities are on the brink of collapse.”
He further warned that the security crisis, if left unchecked, could spark a larger humanitarian emergency and undermine national peace efforts, especially in Nigeria’s vulnerable border regions.
The House unanimously adopted the motion and passed a seven-point resolution, which include immediate deployment of armed forces and police to reinforce operations in Kuchi and other hotspots in Kebbe and Tambuwal LGAs; Commendation of security personnel for their bravery under dangerous conditions; Condolences to bereaved families and a minute of silence in honor of those killed; Urgent rescue efforts for abductees and a thorough investigation into the attacks; Humanitarian relief for displaced residents through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and NGOs; Committee oversight, mandating the Defence, National Security, and Police Affairs Committees to report back in two weeks on implementation progress; and Diplomatic engagement via the Committees on ECOWAS Parliament and Foreign Affairs to improve relations with Niger Republic for intelligence-sharing and regional security cooperation.
The lawmaker stressed that Nigeria’s northern border communities, particularly in Sokoto State, have become increasingly vulnerable amid tensions with Niger Republic and the spread of transnational criminal networks operating along the Sahel corridor.
“The situation in Kebbe and Tambuwal is not an isolated crisis, it is a national emergency,” Dasuki warned. “Without decisive intervention, the insecurity in our rural communities could spiral into broader regional instability.”
In a bold diplomatic shift aimed at curbing the escalating wave of banditry plaguing communities in Nigeria’s North West, the House of Representatives has resolved to engage neighboring Sahel states,
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