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Senate In Stormy Session Over Debate On Danjuma’s Outburst
Strong indications have emerged that there will be a stormy session today at the Senate Chamber as Senators will debate recent comments made by erstwhile Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (rtd) that Nigerians should resort to self protection in the face of unending killings in the country.
The former Minister of Defence had alleged that the military was colliding with militias to cause havoc in the country.
Though the military had taken a swipe at the retired general’s allegation, Senator Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf, APC, Taraba Central, yesterday rose through a point of order on the floor of the Senate for permission to bring a substantive motion on Danjuma’s outburst.
Yusuf who spoke under Order 42 of the 2015 Senate Standing Orders as amended said that General Danjuma raised fundamental issues that should be debated and investigated by the Senate.
According to him, the General at the event called on Nigerians to take up arms in protecting themselves against armed militias allegedly backed by military operatives.
Senator Yusuf’s prayer however turned controversial when put to voice vote by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki as those who shouted nay! sounded louder than those who shouted ayes!
The Senate President who was a bit confused as to which of the expression to rule on , repeated the voice vote with those who shouted nay ! , still louder than ayes, but he ruled that the ayes have it, paving way for an imminent hot debate on the motion today .
It will be recalled that General Danjuma who spoke last Saturday in Jalingo at the maiden Convocation Ceremony of Taraba State University, however accused the Nigerian military of collaborating with armed bandits particularly the Fulani Herdsmen to kill innocent Nigerians.
He had said that “The military are helping the herdsmen to kill Nigerians. They cannot stop the killings because they are in agreement with them. If you wait for the military to stop these killings we will all die.” He added that the motive behind the killings was nothing but ethnic cleansing, saying “there is an attempt at ethnic cleansing in the state and of course, some rural states in Nigeria. We must resist it. We must stop it. Every one of us must rise up.”
It was gathered that many of the senators did not want the motion to be taken because of division it may cause in the senate .
A senator said, “Senator Yusuf is a Fulani man from Taraba State , the same state the respected General comes from and one of the epicentres of the said killings allegedly being facilitated by military.
“Agreed, as a Fulani man and one of the stakeholders from the state, he has the right to call the attention of the senate to any crisis or problem in his state but going by the way he sought for the motion by misquoting the General to have told Nigerians to take up arms for self-defense, his motion would no doubt be very controversial when debated tomorrow ( today)”, one of the senators said.
It would be recalled that Senator Yusuf on the floor of the Senate in 2016 , openly disagreed with Senator Emmanuel Bwacha ( APC Taraba South ) when the latter through a motion alleged that the fleeing Boko Haram terrorists from Sambisa Forest in Borno State were the ones collaborating with herdsmen on wanton killings in the State.
President Bola Tinubu has expressed confidence that the country would win the fight against insecurity.
The President gave the assurance at the Argungu International Fishing Festival in Argungu town, Kebbi State, on Saturday.
He noted that the relative peace currently being enjoyed in Kebbi and neighbouring states was the result of sustained investments in security intelligence, coordination among security agencies, and community engagement.
Tinubu assured farmers and fishermen of sustained federal support to guarantee food security and safety across the country.
“The peace we are witnessing today is not accidental. It is the outcome of deliberate and sustained efforts. I assure you that the fight against banditry, insurgency, and insecurity will be won.
“Our farmers, fishermen, traders, and families will go about their lawful activities without fear,” he assured.
The President commended the organisers of the festival for sustaining the cultural event for decades, noting that it had endured for 83 years despite social and security challenges.
Describing the Argungu festival as a powerful symbol of unity, resilience, and peaceful coexistence, Tinubu stated that it reflects the richness of the country’s culture and the opportunities to harness its natural and human resources for national growth.
He said, “Today, this festival stands as a powerful symbol of unity, resilience, and peaceful coexistence among our people.
“It reflects the richness of our culture, the strength of our traditions, and the opportunities inherent in harnessing our natural and human resources for national development.”
The President was received by a large crowd of residents, traditional rulers, fishermen, tourists, and government officials from across the country.
The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to youth and women empowerment, irrigation development, rural electrification, and agricultural productivity.
Earlier, the Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, said his administration was determined to elevate the Argungu Fishing Festival to full international standards while pursuing aggressive development across critical sectors of the state.
The United States Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos will be closed today, in observance of Presidents’ Day.
The mission made this known in a notice shared on its official X page, yesterday.
“The U.S. Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos will be closed on Monday, February 16, 2026, in observance of Presidents’ Day,” the post read.
According to the embassy, Presidents’ Day was originally established to honour the birthday of the former US President, George Washington, but has evolved into a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents and their leadership in shaping the country’s history.
The embassy noted that the holiday also recognises the influence of U.S. presidents on global affairs.
In a related message, the mission highlighted that Washington created the first “Badge of Military Merit,” which later became the Purple Heart. The medal still bears Washington’s image today.
Presidents’ Day is observed on the third Monday of February annually in the United States as a federal holiday.
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Guterres Backs Nigeria’s Bid For UN Security Council Seat …Hails Tinubu’s Reforms, Regional Security Role
United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has charged Nigeria with spearheading Africa’s quest for a restructured global order, describing the country as uniquely positioned to lead the continent toward superpower status.
Guterres, who backed Nigeria’s bid for the world body’s security council seat, also praised the economic reforms of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration as well as Nigeria’s leadership in stabilising the Sahel and ECOWAS regions, despite facing its own security challenges.
The UN scribe made the remarks last Friday night during a high-level bilateral meeting with Vice President Kashim Shettima on the sidelines of the 39th African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Speaking during the meeting, Guterres said Nigeria’s large population, sustained democratic governance, vast natural and human resources, and longstanding commitment to multilateralism placed it in a unique position to lead Africa in the evolving global order.
“Given Nigeria’s demographic strength, democratic continuity and deep resource base, the country stands a real chance of leading Africa to becoming the next superpower in the evolving global architecture,” he said.
The UN Secretary-General and the vice president discussed key developments in Nigeria and the country’s expanding leadership role in promoting regional stability across West Africa and the Sahel.
Guterres commended the remarkable and outstanding reforms of the administration of President Tinubu, noting that Nigeria’s bold economic restructuring and security commitments have strengthened its continental standing.
The meeting focused on strengthening Nigeria–UN collaboration to advance global economic growth, peace and security, sustainable development, and a coordinated humanitarian response across Africa.
In his remarks, Shettima thanked the UN Secretary-General for his leadership in advancing global peace, noting that Africa has benefited immensely from his tenure, even as the United Nations undergoes internal restructuring.
“We remain committed to multilateralism and to deepening our partnerships with the United Nations and other global institutions,” the vice president said.
Shettima also reiterated Nigeria’s longstanding call for comprehensive reform of the United Nations system to reflect evolving global realities.
He emphasised that Africa must have stronger representation in global decision-making structures and declared that Nigeria deserves a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.
Both leaders pledged to deepen cooperation, with Guterres reaffirming the UN’s support for Nigeria’s reform agenda and its growing leadership role in advancing peace, security, and development across Africa.