In an address to the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, representing Pankshin, Kanke, and Kanam Federal Constituency, delivered a stark warning: the Nigerian military has lost arms and ammunition worth trillions of naira to Boko Haram insurgents — and the public may soon lose all trust in their leaders.
Speaking during a debate sparked by a motion from Hon. Ahmed Satomi (Borno), regarding the recent inferno at the 127 Battalion armoury in Giwa Barracks and renewed insurgent attacks in Borno and Yobe States, Gagdi did not hold back.
“The heaviness of the content of this motion will be better appreciated, if we are privileged to see the pictures of what Boko Haram did to Giwa Barracks and other attacks within military formations in Borno State,” Gagdi stated with concern. “Mr. Speaker, the pictures I saw, I am scared. I am scared whether the safety of the Nigerian civilians within the Nigerian territorial land can be guaranteed.”
He revealed that the National Assembly had approved funding for more than 40 military tanks and other sophisticated platforms, all intended to shield Nigerians from harm. Yet these assets, according to him, have been plundered by the very terrorists they were meant to combat.
“How can we guarantee the safety of the Nigerian people in the circumstance that the platforms that are meant to protect these people have been taken away by the enemies of the people?” he questioned. “Mr. Speaker, we have been doing our best under your leadership.”
But effort, Gagdi emphasized, is no longer enough. He demanded that the executive arm of government stop paying lip service and start holding top military and security personnel accountable for repeated failures.
“The National Assembly has been speaking on issues of insecurity,” he continued. “But Mr. Speaker, actions by departments of government must be taken. Mr. President must hold Nigerian military strategic commandants and other security agencies accountable for negligence of their responsibility.”
He lamented that legislative resolutions alone cannot shield Nigerians from bullets, bombs, or fear. What’s needed now, he stressed, is accountability and urgency.
“Mr. Speaker, the everyday resolutions we pass are not enough. We must summon agencies of the government to publicly account for their responsibilities and failures,” he added.
In a grave warning that should send chills down the spine of every officeholder, Gagdi hinted at a looming political revolt.
“We are moving to a level where Nigerians will fight us the way they fight criminals and Boko Haram,” he said. “If action is not taken, Nigerians will take their destinies into their own hands.”
Gagdi also decried what he described as the federal government’s pattern of dismissing alerts raised by state governors, calling it a dangerous move that weakens the role of local chief security officers.
“While people are being killed, some sit in the comfort of their offices and say the governor is raising unnecessary alarm. This is unacceptable,” he said.
He ended his contribution with a direct appeal to President Bola Tinubu: hold military commanders accountable, fix the gaps, and restore faith in governance — before it’s too late.
“Government must do the needful,” Gagdi said, his voice echoing the urgency of a nation on edge.
