The Senate leadership on Thursday cautioned the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, against making public statements that could create friction between the National Assembly and the executive led by President Bola Tinubu.
The warning came after Badaru publicly dismissed a planned two-day national security summit by the Senate, stating that such gatherings were unnecessary in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.
Speaking at plenary, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele criticised the minister’s comments, warning that such remarks could undermine legislative initiatives and strain relations with the Presidency.
At a ministerial briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, Badaru had said the armed forces were already better equipped and more sophisticated than insurgents, and emphasised that effective strategy, not summits, was the key to national security.
“Strategy is far more important than a summit,” the minister said. “The summit will give input for the strategy, but operational orders come from the Defence Chiefs, not from public discourse.”
Reacting, Akpabio expressed disappointment, stating that open criticism of the Senate’s resolutions could worsen the already dire security situation.
“If the Ministry of Defence has any issue with any Senate resolution, it should not address it in the marketplace,” Akpabio said. “It should reach out to the Senate President or Senate elders. Such public remarks could lead to unnecessary executive-legislative conflict.”
Akpabio commended the 10th Senate for staying focused on national priorities despite distractions.
Earlier, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele described the minister’s remarks as demoralising and unhelpful.
“We are elected to work for the people and support the President’s agenda. But when we are falsely portrayed or publicly undermined, it becomes difficult to build synergy,” Bamidele said.
He added, “That the Minister of Defence could describe a Senate-backed national security summit as unnecessary is troubling. Summits may not be perfect, but they remain critical avenues for gathering diverse perspectives to inform strategic decisions.”
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives on Thursday called on President Tinubu to order the deployment of additional security personnel to Plateau State, following recent attacks on Bokkos and Bassa local government areas.
The call followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance jointly sponsored by lawmakers Ishaya Lalu and Daniel Ago.
Lalu decried the repeated violence and mass killings in Jos and surrounding communities, stating that the recent attacks have left many dead, thousands displaced, and livelihoods destroyed.
“These incidents represent a troubling pattern of violence in Plateau State that has persisted for years, despite previous interventions,” Lalu said. “The situation has resulted in a worsening humanitarian crisis, with inadequate relief and support for displaced persons.”
The motion, when put to a voice vote by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, received overwhelming support.
The House urged the President to immediately deploy additional security forces to the affected areas to prevent further bloodshed. It also called on the National Emergency Management Agency and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons to supply relief materials, medical aid, and establish proper IDP camps.
Furthermore, the House mandated its Committees on National Security, Defence, and Police Affairs to investigate the root causes of the persistent attacks and submit a report with recommendations within four weeks.
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs was also tasked with developing a comprehensive rehabilitation plan to rebuild destroyed homes, schools, and healthcare facilities in the affected communities.
