The House of Representatives has called for decisive interventions to address two escalating security crises: violent communal clashes along the Ondo-Delta border and the prolonged captivity of over 116 abducted schoolchildren and residents in Borno State.
Deliberating on a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Donald Ojogo (APC, Ondo), the House directed the National Boundary Commission to immediately demarcate and determine land ownership along the fringes of the Ondo and Delta State borders.
Presenting the motion, Ojogo expressed profound grief over unprovoked attacks launched against Ilaje communities, including Odun Ebighan and Eke, over the past four weeks.
Armed youths from Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State reportedly burnt homes and injured numerous residents.
Ojogo lamented that despite centuries of peaceful coexistence, shared geography, and common challenges, resource-rich oil and gas lands are now being weaponised to sow discord between the Ilaje and Itsekiri peoples.
To restore order, the House urged the military and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to deploy swiftly to the affected areas.
The House mandated its Committees on Emergency and Disaster Management and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to deliver immediate relief materials to displaced Ilaje indigenes suffering severe hardship.
Concurrently, lawmakers turned their attention to the worsening humanitarian emergency in the North East, adopting a motion by Midala Balami (APC, Borno) regarding the mass abduction of innocent citizens.
The House tasked security forces with intensifying search-and-rescue operations to secure the safe release of at least 116 schoolchildren and dozens of residents held in Borno State.
Balami recounted the grim timeline of the abductions, noting that 44 schoolchildren from Mussa were taken on May 15, 2026, and have now endured over 138 days in captivity.
Another 36 students and two teachers from Lassa Ward in Askira-Uba Local Government Area have been held for more than 70 days, while individuals seized along the Buratai-Maiduguri Road have languished in captivity for over 160 days.
Detailing the agonising emotional distress borne by the victims’ families, Balami warned that continued delay exposes the captives to grave danger and heightens regional instability. He acknowledged ongoing rescue efforts by local authorities and traditional institutions but stressed that present measures remain insufficient given the prolonged captivity of the victims.
In response, the Green Chamber called for enhanced inter-agency coordination, intelligence sharing, and joint operations among the Armed Forces, Police, and intelligence services.
The House further urged security agencies to fortify vulnerable transit routes – specifically the Buratai-Maiduguri axis, Mussa, and Lassa – through increased patrols and strategic checkpoints. Furthermore, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the North East Development Commission (NEDC) were directed to urgently dispatch medical, psychological, and material support to the traumatised families and communities.