Niger State House of Assembly has issued one of its strongest warnings yet, declaring that it may suspend all legislative activities if authorities fail to stem the worsening wave of attacks by bandits and armed groups across the state.
During plenary on Tuesday, lawmakers raised fresh alarm over the abduction of pupils of St. Mary’s Catholic Missionary School in Agwara Local Council, describing the situation as a grave indication that communities across Niger are facing an increasingly desperate security climate.
The resolution came after a motion of urgent public importance moved by Mohammed Nura Agwara, member representing Agwara constituency, who called the abduction “tragic and deeply worrisome.” The chamber unanimously condemned the attack, noting that the events of November 2025 highlight the failure of repeated appeals for effective intervention.
Presiding over the session, the Speaker, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, warned that the legislature would “not hesitate to halt all legislative business” if the situation remains unchanged. He said: “Let us not pretend about the current situation. The state is now in the eyes of the world due to security challenges, and investors are beginning to pull out, while contractors handling various road projects have deserted their sites.”
Sarkindaji, who represents Mariga constituency, added that more than 50 communities, including his own political ward, have been displaced as residents abandon their homes and farms in search of safety. He faulted the lack of concrete response despite several appeals by Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago for increased security deployment.
Tension around the incident deepened with confirmation of the deaths of two parents of the kidnapped children. In a statement issued in Minna, Daniel Atori, media aide to the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, said the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora disclosed the loss with “deep sorrow.”
According to the proprietor of the school, Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, one of the parents, Mr. Anthony Musa, died from a heart attack, while a female parent passed away under unclear circumstances.
The attack resulted in the abduction of 315 people, comprising 303 students and 12 teachers. In response, the governor ordered the closure of all primary and secondary schools, both public and private, after a security meeting with heads of security agencies on November 22 at the Government House in Minna.
In a separate development, former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has called on the Kano State Government to immediately address rising cases of bandit attacks in parts of the state.
In a statement signed by his former Chief of Staff, Muhammad Garba, Ganduje described recent attacks in Shanono and Tsanyawa as “tragic, painful, and deeply distressing.” He said the raids amount to a direct assault on peace and social stability, urging Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to stop the situation before it “gets out of hand.”
Ganduje noted: “These violent incursions are not only a breach of security but a disruption of communal life. The emotional and psychological toll demands urgent support and coordinated action.”
He encouraged the state government to consider elements of the security measures adopted during his administration between 2015 and 2023, which included strengthened local vigilance groups, community-based policing structures, and improved intelligence-sharing.
Ganduje maintained that the previous framework contributed significantly to reducing rural banditry and keeping urban crime at manageable levels during his tenure.
