Fresh alarm bells rang in the Senate on Wednesday as Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West) issued a chilling update on Nigeria’s security landscape—reporting that over 30 persons had been kidnapped in his district in just one week, with fears mounting that the attacks may be politically motivated and strategically orchestrated ahead of the 2027 elections.
Senator Karimi, who chairs the Senate Committee on Services, raised the red flag during a debate on the escalating farmer-herder conflict in Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State.
He described the spate of kidnappings and violence as a “deliberate and coordinated attempt” to destabilize Nigeria for selfish political interests.
“These attacks are not random,” Karimi declared. “We are seeing echoes of 2015—when some individuals vowed that the country would burn if they lost at the polls. It appears those same forces are regrouping.”
He referenced recent claims by the Governor of Borno State that some military personnel may be collaborating with insurgents and criminal elements. Karimi called for an urgent investigation into what he described as “insider collusion.”
“We cannot overlook these dangerous claims. Disgruntled elements—including people within our security architecture—may be sabotaging the system to create chaos, weaken the Tinubu administration, and re-enter power by force,” Karimi said.
The senator also decried the continued captivity of Oba James Dada Ogunyanda, the Obalohun of Okoloke in Yagba-West, who was abducted on May 15.
“It is deeply troubling that a traditional ruler remains in captivity weeks after his abduction. Our communities are bleeding,” he said, urging the newly formed Senate Committee on National Security to investigate the possibility of a grand political conspiracy.
Backing Karimi’s alarm, Senator Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central) said the violent clashes in Karim Lamido were part of a nationwide pattern of instability.
He warned that the violence in Taraba and neighbouring Bauchi and Gombe states could not be dismissed as isolated.
“From Karim Lamido to Alkaleri to Lau, and beyond—it is spreading like wildfire. We must ask the hard questions: Why now? Why this resurgence of bloodshed, just as we inch closer to 2027?” Goje queried.
He called on the Senate and federal authorities to go beyond palliatives and face the political and security realities head-on.
“This isn’t just about criminals with guns. This is about power, influence, and the dangerous games being played behind the scenes,” Goje said.
The Senate had earlier adopted a motion moved by Senator Isa Lau (Taraba North), which revealed that violent clashes between farmers and herders in Karim Lamido on May 23 had left dozens dead, 47 houses burnt, and more than 200 people displaced.
In response, the upper chamber urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to immediately dispatch relief materials to affected communities. Lawmakers also called on security agencies to fortify the porous boundaries between Taraba, Bauchi, and Plateau States, which they described as key infiltration points for armed groups.
Despite acknowledging the ongoing efforts by federal security agencies, both Karimi and Goje stressed that the current response was insufficient and lacked the urgency the situation demands.
“We need more than reactionary deployments,” Karimi said. “We need intelligence-led operations, the unmasking of collaborators, and the political will to hold even the untouchables accountable.”
As a mark of respect for victims across the conflict zones, the Senate observed a minute of silence.
