The Nigerian Senate has told state governments across the country to stop negotiating peace deals with terrorists and bandits. The lawmakers warned that these arrangements rarely produce lasting results and could end up financing more criminal activities.
The Senate also directed the Nigeria Police Force and the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre to track down armed bandits who openly use social media, especially TikTok, to show off large sums of money believed to be stolen. The move targets criminals who brag online about their loot.
These resolutions came after a motion by Senator Sunday Karimi, who represents Kogi West Senatorial District. He raised the alarm over renewed attacks in his constituency.
Karimi told the Senate about a recent attack on Iluke-Bunu in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State. Terrorists invaded a secondary school and tried to abduct students who were sitting for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE). The attack killed the school's vice principal, a teacher, and another community member.
That incident happened just one day after a similar attack on a private home in Odo-Ere, Yagba West Local Government Area, on June 8, 2026.
Senators also invited the Commander of the National Centre for Control of Arms and Small Weapons (NCSALW) to explain how arms are spreading across the country and what can be done about it.
Why the Senate is worried about state-level peace deals
Several state governments, especially in the North-West and North-Central, have signed peace agreements with bandits in recent years. The deals often involve the government paying money or giving amnesty in exchange for the bandits stopping attacks and releasing hostages.
But critics say these deals haven't stopped the violence. In many cases, bandits take the money and go back to kidnapping and killing. The Senate's position is that these arrangements aren't working and may be making things worse by giving criminals resources to buy more weapons.
What happens next
The Senate's resolutions aren't laws, but they carry political weight. State governments are now under pressure to explain any existing peace deals and justify why they should continue. The police and cybersecurity centre have been ordered to act on the social media tracking directive.
The National Centre for Control of Arms and Small Weapons is expected to appear before the Senate to brief lawmakers on the scale of illegal arms in Nigeria and what the government is doing to stop the flow of weapons.
For communities in Kogi West and other areas hit by banditry, the Senate's action offers little immediate relief. Attacks continue, and the government is still searching for a strategy that actually works.