.Senate orders recruit of additional 100,000 officers into the army
. As Edo Security Squad arrests 31 cultists in Edo Central raid, issues 7day ultimatum to fleeing suspects to surrender
IGNATIUS OKOROCHA,Abuja and CHRIS AKHABUE, Edo
Concerned by recent abduction of 25 students of Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School , Maga , Kebbi State last weekend, the Senate on Tuesday directed security Chiefs to immediately rescue the abducted students from captivity.
They also sought for urgent recruitment of at least 100, 000 men and officials into the military just as it set up an Ad – hoc committee to probe the fund expended so far on the Safe School Initiative.
Resolutions to these effects by the Senate were sequel to an urgent motion sponsored by Senator Yahaya Abdullahi( Kebbi North ) on 25 students of Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School Maga in Kebbi State in the early hours of Monday .
Senator Abdullahi in the motion said the abduction of the female pupils and killing of the School Vice Principal by bandits was a dirty slap on the face of Nation which must be seriously looked into and urgently addressed.
” This is a wake up call for the country as far as security and safety are concerned, because a Nation that cannot secure its children , is not worth living in “, he said .
He lamented that if an end is not put to abduction of pupils from their various schools , acquisition of knowledge by school age Nigerians , would be seriously undermined and by extension, stagnates the growth and development of the country .
Contributing to the motion , the Senate Chief Whip , Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno ( Borno North ) , described the act as dastardly which according to him, must be risen against by all Nigerians .
Senator Francis Fadahunsi ( Osun East ) , in his contribution wonders why the criminality of banditry and terrorism still persist in the country despite the effort being put against it by President Bola Tinubu led federal government, warning that the Nation has to get rid of it before foreign powers intervene.
” The more President Tinubu struggles to end the banditry and terrorism , the more kidnapping continues . Crime is spreading every day .
Nigerians must stand up against this impunity before we have problem from abroad “, he said .
Senator Sani Musa in his contribution said for banditry and terrorism to be effective curbed in the country , more officers and men , need to urgently recruited into the military to man the ungoverned areas being exploited by the criminal elements to carry out their heinous acts .
The need for probe of the Safe School Programme implemented after the Chibock girls abduction in 2014 , was suggested by Senator Ahmad Lawan ( Yobe North ) , in his contribution.
According to him, since Schools are not yet safe and secured for our pupils , there is need to probe the fund given and how expended that the expected results, are not being received.
The Senate after exhaustive debate on the motion , called for urgent rescue of the abducted school pupils , urged President Bola Tinubu to direct the military to recruit at least 100,000 officers and men as soon as possible for more potent war against banditry and terrorism in the country .
It mandated its committees on Finance , Education and Defence , to carry out thorough investigation on safe school fund instituted in 2014 and observed one minute silence for the Vice Principal of the School as well as Brigadier – General Uba Musa killed by ISWAP terrorists in Damboa , Borno State on Sunday .
In his remarks after adoption of the resolutions , the President of the Senate , Godswill Akpabio said : “No country is free of crime—not even the United States. But our responsibility is to make laws, pass motions, and take decisions that reduce crime to the barest minimum. Crime is crime; it does not belong to any administration.
“We urge the Armed Forces and all Nigerians with useful information to assist in securing the release of these children and ensuring justice for the victims”.
. As Edo Security Squad arrests 31 cultists in Edo Central raid, issues 7day ultimatum to fleeing suspects to surrender
The Edo State Special Security Squad, operating under the code name “Operation Flush Out Kidnapping and Cultism”, has said that it has arrested 31 suspects following coordinated raids across Uromi in Esan North-East Local Government Area.
The operation is part of the State Government’s intensified efforts to curb cult-related violence and rising criminal activities.
The arrests are linked to a violent clash between rival cult groups on Thursday, 13 November 2025, which left one individual hospitalized with severe injuries.
Acting on intelligence, the Squad conducted simultaneous raids on Sunday, 16 November 2025, targeting known hideouts in Osigbemhe Lane, Okhenlen-Uromi; Arue Street, Ivue-Uromi; and the Ewoyi axis of Uromi.
Leading the operation were the Chief Security Officer and Principal Security Officer to Governor Monday Okpebholo, supported by the Divisional Police Officer of Uromi, local vigilante teams, and personnel of the Nigerian Army.
The joint forces stormed residential locations occupied by members of the Black Axe and Eiye confraternities.
Incriminating items, including battle axes, cult insignia, charms, drugs and other dangerous materials were recovered, further linking the suspects to the recent fracas.
Authorities have launched a manhunt for additional members believed to have fled during the raids.
Speaking after the operation, Squad Coordinator, Idemudia Noah, confirmed that the crackdown followed credible intelligence implicating several individuals in the clash, which stemmed from a dispute over a fraudulent financial transaction.
He disclosed that two alleged ringleaders, identified as Gift and Ache, remain at large, and their properties have been sealed pending further investigations.
Noah detailed that the first major raid occurred at an apartment at Osigbemhe Lane associated with a Black Axe member, while the second at Arue Street, targeted an Eiye Confraternity operative.
All suspects apprehended have been handed over to the Nigeria police Force Area Command Headquarters Uromi, for processing and interrogation.
Meanwhile, the Squad has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the fleeing prime suspects to surrender themselves for questioning, warning that defiance will trigger decisive consequences from the State Government.
During the operation, several underage individuals were also found engaging in criminal activities, a development Noah described as “deeply troubling.”
He warned that the Edo State Government may begin taking legal action against parents of minors involved in crime as part of broader preventive measures.
One suspect, Nathaniel Kingsley, arrested at Ewoyi-Uromi, denied involvement in cultism despite the recovery of a battle axe, an emblem of the Black Axe confraternity from his residence. He admitted only to participating in internet fraud.
Noah reaffirmed the Government’s zero-tolerance stance on cultism, assuring that every arrested individual will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted.
“Edo State will not serve as a haven for criminals. We are committed to safeguarding our communities and restoring public confidence,” he said.
The Squad concluded the operation with a show of force across parts of Edo Central Senatorial District, signaling the Government’s sustained presence and readiness to respond to emerging threats.
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