Lawmakers raise alarm over rising attacks in Kebbi, urging urgent federal intervention, joint security operations, and enhanced intelligence to curb bandit activities.
The House of Representatives has expressed serious concern over the escalating security crisis in Kebbi State, following a string of violent attacks by armed bandits targeting key security posts in Bagudo and Suru Local Government Areas.
Lawmakers warned that unless federal intervention is immediate and decisive, the situation in Kebbi could spiral further, threatening residents’ safety and national security due to the state’s strategic border with the Republic of Benin.
This alert came after a deadly assault on the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) outpost in Bakin Ruwa on November 27, 2025, which claimed the lives of three Immigration officers.
According to Hon. Bello A. Ka’oje, the attackers were suspected members of the Lakurawa bandit group, a criminal network increasingly emboldened in Kebbi North.
Moving a motion of urgent public importance, Ka’oje highlighted that Kebbi, long considered one of the most peaceful states in the Northwest, has recently experienced a surge in violent incidents against federal security formations.
Bagudo LGA, sharing an international border with Benin, hosts several strategic checkpoints, including NIS and Nigeria Customs Service outposts in Bakin Ruwa and Maje, as well as multiple police units.
These installations have now become frequent targets for bandits seeking to establish operational bases in the region.
The lawmaker recounted similar attacks, including the November 10, 2025 assault on the Nigeria Customs Service checkpoint in Maje, which resulted in the death of a Customs officer, and the October 19 attack on a police outpost in the same area that claimed another officer’s life.
Intelligence indicates that the Lakurawa bandits are attempting to convert Soda Forest in Bagudo into a permanent hideout, while also using the hills of Suru LGA as camps for kidnapped victims pending ransom negotiations.
Ka’oje warned that this alarming pattern shows the bandits’ strategic intent to entrench themselves across Kebbi, creating long-term threats to national security and cross-border safety.
He urged immediate federal intervention, including joint operations by the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police Force, and other relevant security agencies, to flush out criminals from Soda Forest, Suru Hills, and other identified hideouts.
The House observed a minute of silence to honor the fallen Immigration, Customs, and Police officers.
Members also called on the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) to improve intelligence sharing and reinforce border surveillance along the Nigeria–Benin corridor, particularly in Bagudo.
While commending the Federal Government, Kebbi State authorities, security agencies, vigilante groups, and local leaders for the successful rescue of 24 schoolgirls abducted from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, lawmakers appealed for proper compensation and welfare support for families of security personnel killed in the line of duty.
They stressed that protecting officers’ welfare and equipping security formations is critical to curbing the rising security crisis in Kebbi.
The House directed its committees on defense, national security, and legislative compliance to ensure that all resolutions are promptly implemented and closely monitored.
Lawmakers concluded that swift and coordinated action is essential to prevent further deterioration of peace and stability in Kebbi.
Ireport247news
