The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has urged the Federal Government to declare a national emergency on insecurity following the tragic death of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar while in bandits’ captivity.
In a statement released on Wednesday, CISLAC Executive Director Comrade Auwal Musa Rafsanjani described the general’s death as a stark symbol of Nigeria’s deepening security crisis and demanded a comprehensive, independent audit into the trillions of naira allocated to the nation’s defence sector.
The civil society group expressed grave concern over the expanding reach of criminal elements, noting that the vulnerability of a decorated, high-ranking former military commander underscores the extreme risk faced by ordinary citizens.
“The death of a retired Major General in captivity is not only a personal tragedy but a national one,” Rafsanjani said. “If a decorated military officer who dedicated his life to defending Nigeria can fall victim to bandits, then ordinary Nigerians face even greater risk.”
CISLAC highlighted a persistent, nationwide deterioration of safety, pointing to escalating rural banditry, community attacks, and a harrowing spike in school kidnappings. Citing an April 2026 report by Amnesty International, the group noted that at least 1,100 people were abducted in northern Nigeria alone between January and April 2026.
The tragedy comes despite unprecedented financial commitments to the nation’s military. In his recent Democracy Day address, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu disclosed that the Federal Government allocated a historic N5.41 trillion to defence and security in the 2026 budget.
CISLAC argued that these record-breaking figures have failed to yield a corresponding improvement in public safety, prompting them to demand strict oversight.
To address these financial and operational gaps, CISLAC is demanding a full forensic investigation into defence expenditure and “security votes” at both the federal and state levels. The group also called for increased accountability from the National Assembly, which it criticised for failing to properly monitor security spending outcomes.
Furthermore, the organisation is pushing for an intelligence overhaul to strengthen inter-agency coordination among the Department of State Services (DSS), National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), alongside enhanced training and improved welfare packages for frontline security personnel.
The advocacy group directed sharp criticism toward recent statements made by senior leadership at the Ministry of Defence, accusing them of a troubling lack of urgency and accountability.
CISLAC explicitly rejected a comment attributed to the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle, who suggested that “only God” can ultimately end insecurity in Nigeria.
“Nigerians did not appoint Ministers of Defence to tell them that only God can solve insecurity,” Rafsanjani countered. “They were appointed to develop strategies, mobilise resources, strengthen security institutions and deliver results. Leadership requires action, not excuses.”
Similarly, the group questioned remarks by the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), who blamed global military hardware shortages driven by conflicts involving Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Iran, and the United States for delays in procuring weapons for Nigerian forces.
“Criminal groups operating across Nigeria do not appear to be suffering from shortages of weapons,” Rafsanjani observed. “Nigerians deserve answers about how terrorists, bandits and kidnappers continue to access arms while citizens are told that procurement challenges are responsible.”
Warning that the security crisis “will not spare anyone” regardless of political standing, CISLAC urged the political class to redirect the same energy and resource mobilisation used during election campaigns toward eradicating terrorism.
While acknowledging ongoing national debates regarding the creation of state police forces, the organisation cautioned that any implementation must be tightly bound to strict legal frameworks to prevent political abuse.
CISLAC concluded its appeal by calling for systemic security sector reforms, intelligence-led operations, and measurable performance benchmarks to restore peace across the federation. #Securitynewsalert.com
