The Nigerian Senate has called for the strengthening and upgrading of joint security operations in Niger and Kwara states as part of renewed efforts to address rising insecurity in parts of the country.

The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Sani Musa (Niger East) during plenary in Abuja, after the killing of over 50 people and the abduction of several women and children in Konkoso District, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

The Senate mandated its Committees on Defence, Army, Air Force, Police Affairs, and National Security and Intelligence to undertake a joint assessment of the security situation in the North-Central region. The committees are expected to present their findings and actionable recommendations within four weeks.

Leading the debate, Senator Musa lamented the increasing wave of coordinated attacks on rural communities, farmlands, and settlements across the region, warning that the trend poses a grave threat to food security and national stability.

Lawmakers expressed concern that the recurring assaults on remote communities point to gaps in intelligence coordination among security agencies, worsening the humanitarian crisis in the affected areas.

The chamber observed a one-minute silence in honour of the victims and urged security agencies to intensify surveillance and enhance intelligence-sharing mechanisms.

It also called for closer collaboration between security formations in Niger and Kwara states to dismantle cross-border terrorist networks operating along their shared boundaries.

Reports indicate that motorcycle-riding gunmen stormed three villages in the central region last Saturday, killing at least 46 people. A security report cited by AFP stated that the attackers arrived on 41 motorcycles, each carrying two or three armed men.

The affected communities, located in Borgu near the Kwara border, have reportedly experienced repeated attacks in recent weeks. The deadliest assault occurred in Konkoso village, where at least 38 residents were killed, with several homes set ablaze and additional bodies still being recovered.

The renewed violence has once again spotlighted Nigeria's persistent security challenges in the North-Central zone, where armed bandits and other criminal groups continue to target vulnerable communities.