The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has given the Federal Government a 72-hour ultimatum to secure the release of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oyo State, while calling for sweeping reforms to Nigeria’s security system amid rising insecurity nationwide.

Addressing journalists at the National Assembly on Wednesday, Minority Leader Fred Agbedi said the deteriorating security situation has exposed major shortcomings in the country’s security architecture and requires urgent intervention.

The caucus urged the Federal Government to immediately launch a special military operation aimed at rescuing the kidnapped pupils and teachers within three days.

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Agbedi said the recurring incidents of mass abductions and violent attacks across the country have become intolerable and are weakening public confidence in the government’s capacity to protect lives and property.

He accused authorities of relying more on rhetoric than decisive action in addressing the security crisis.

“The country deserves to know how terrorists now kill generals with such impunity. There must be a full and transparent investigation into how this happened and why security systems failed,” he stated.

The lawmakers were reacting to reports surrounding the death of Major-General Rabe Abubakar, who was allegedly killed while in the custody of terrorists in Katsina State.

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Describing the incident as alarming, the caucus said it reflects the growing boldness of terrorist groups and demanded a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances that led to the senior military officer’s abduction and death.

The opposition lawmakers also urged the government to move beyond what they described as propaganda-driven responses and instead focus on strengthening intelligence gathering, increasing operational funding for security agencies, improving troop welfare and reducing political interference in security operations.

Beyond security concerns, the caucus criticised a recent Federal High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of five political parties, warning that such decisions could negatively affect Nigeria’s democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Agbedi described the ruling as excessive and called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria to address what he termed conflicting judicial pronouncements on the deregistration of political parties.

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The lawmakers further urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process and resist any attempt to undermine the credibility of the 2027 elections.

In an appeal to Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the caucus called for the suspension of political activities linked to the 2027 polls, urging the administration to concentrate on governance, security and economic recovery.

“Politics must take the back seat when the country is bleeding. Government exists primarily for the security and welfare of the people, and securing Nigeria must now take precedence over political calculations,” Agbedi said.

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The caucus also proposed a six-month National Security and Economic Recovery Plan to tackle the twin challenges of insecurity and economic hardship.

While urging Nigerians not to lose faith in democracy, the lawmakers stressed that restoring confidence in governance, protecting citizens from escalating violence and preserving democratic institutions remain essential for the country’s stability and future.

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