Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has called for sweeping reforms of Nigeria’s defence and security architecture, urging lawmakers and stakeholders to adopt more comprehensive measures to address the country’s worsening insecurity.
Abbas made the call during a public hearing organised by the House Committee on Defence in Abuja, where discussions focused on proposed legislative reforms aimed at strengthening national security institutions.
He warned that Nigeria’s current security challenges require more coordinated and forward-looking strategies, noting that existing frameworks have struggled to keep pace with the scale and complexity of emerging threats.
The Speaker highlighted multiple security flashpoints across the country, including insurgency in the North-East, banditry and kidnappings in the North-West, farmer-herder clashes in the North-Central region, and separatist tensions in the South-East.
He also pointed to rising concerns such as maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, cybercrime, and the increasing connection between organised crime and terrorism.
Abbas stressed that the Armed Forces remain central to Nigeria’s stability but are under significant pressure, adding that reforms are necessary to enhance efficiency, welfare, and operational effectiveness.
As part of ongoing legislative efforts, he referenced proposed defence reform bills currently under consideration. These include plans to repeal the existing Armed Forces Act and replace it with a new legal framework, establish an Armed Forces Farms and Ranches Scheme, improve gender inclusion within the military, and strengthen welfare provisions for veterans.
He further emphasised the importance of public participation in shaping the reforms, urging security experts, civil society organisations, and citizens to contribute to the legislative process.
The public hearing forms part of broader efforts by the House of Representatives to modernise Nigeria’s defence system and respond to evolving national security threats. Visit www.jocomms.com for more news.
