Author: Gist Correspondent

The Senate has suspended its ongoing legislative recess and summoned lawmakers for an emergency plenary session to address the worsening security situation and other urgent national concerns.

In a notice dated June 15 and signed by the Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo, senators were directed to reconvene at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on June 23, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.

The directive, issued on the instruction of Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said the emergency sitting became necessary due to issues of national importance requiring immediate legislative intervention.

According to the notice, the special session will focus primarily on the country’s deteriorating security challenges, alongside other critical matters demanding urgent attention from the upper chamber.

The Senate expressed regret for any inconvenience the sudden recall may cause lawmakers and urged all members to make arrangements to attend the plenary.

The decision represents a significant departure from the National Assembly’s earlier timetable. Both chambers had only recently adjourned for recess and were expected to resume legislative activities on July 7 after observing the Democracy Day holiday and undertaking constituency engagements.

The emergency recall comes amid growing public concern over persistent attacks by terrorists, bandits and kidnappers across several parts of the country, prompting renewed calls for stronger security measures.

The development also follows recent remarks by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who vowed that terrorists, bandits and their sponsors would face the full force of the law if they failed to surrender.

The President stated that more than 13,000 terrorists had been neutralised within the past year and maintained that terrorism-related fatalities had declined significantly. However, he acknowledged that the continued captivity of schoolchildren abducted in Oyo and Borno states remained a painful challenge for the nation.

The emergency session is expected to take place against the backdrop of ongoing efforts by lawmakers to reform Nigeria’s security architecture through constitutional amendments.

Last week, both the Senate and the House of Representatives advanced proposals seeking the establishment of state police, a move aimed at decentralising policing and strengthening security at the grassroots level.

The proposed constitutional amendment seeks to move policing from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List, thereby empowering states to establish and manage their own police formations.

To achieve this, lawmakers are proposing amendments to key sections of the 1999 Constitution, including Sections 197, 214 and 215.

The Senate has already passed the state police bill for second reading, underscoring the determination of lawmakers to explore lasting solutions to Nigeria’s security crisis.

The June 23 emergency plenary is expected to provide senators with an opportunity to review the nation’s security challenges, assess ongoing interventions and consider additional legislative measures aimed at restoring peace and protecting citizens across the country.