Keep Your Roads or Schools, Please Save Our Lives — APC Senator Maidoki Cries Out Over Insecurity in Senate
Advertisements
A dramatic moment unfolded in the Nigerian Senate as Senator Garba Musa Maidoki, representing Kebbi South Senatorial District, broke down in tears while pleading with the Federal Government to urgently intervene in the worsening security crisis affecting his constituency.
During a plenary session, the visibly emotional senator repeatedly begged the government to prioritise security over infrastructure, shouting:
“Please save our lives, save our people. Keep your roads or schools now; please save our lives. Our people’s lives are in danger.”
Advertisements
News Week Nigeria reports that Maidoki’s passionate plea drew silence across the chamber as fellow lawmakers listened to his emotional outburst. The senator lamented that bandits and insurgents have continued to terrorise communities in Kebbi South, displacing families, destroying farms, and abducting residents despite multiple military operations in the area.
Background on Senator Garba Maidoki
Senator Maidoki, a former member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was elected to the 10th Senate in 2023 but defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in May 2025, along with two other senators from Kebbi State.
Advertisements
His defection was reportedly linked to political realignments in the state following the 2025 by-election and ongoing negotiations with the APC leadership in the North-West geopolitical zone.
‘Our People Sleep in Fear Every Night’
Maidoki told his colleagues that most residents of Kebbi South now live in fear, with several communities completely deserted due to persistent attacks.
“Our people no longer go to farms. They can’t sleep at night. Women and children are being kidnapped daily. Even the local vigilantes are overwhelmed,” he said.
Advertisements
He further expressed frustration that while government projects such as road construction and school rehabilitation are ongoing in other parts of the country, citizens in his district are “struggling just to stay alive.”
Security Situation in Kebbi State
Kebbi State, particularly the southern region, has in recent years witnessed escalating banditry and armed attacks. Reports indicate that dozens of villages have been raided, with casualties recorded and several communities forced to flee their ancestral homes.
Local leaders have repeatedly called on the Nigerian Army, Police, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to intensify operations in the state and restore public confidence.
Reactions in the Senate
Several senators reportedly sympathised with Maidoki’s emotional appeal, describing his outburst as a reflection of the widespread frustration among Nigerians facing insecurity.
Senator Ahmad Lawan, a former Senate President, was quoted as saying that the security crisis in parts of the North-West “requires urgent and sustained attention.”
Another lawmaker noted that the federal government’s current approach has not yielded the expected results, stressing the need for intelligence-driven operations and improved collaboration between security agencies.
Public Reaction
Clips of Senator Maidoki’s emotional moment have since gone viral on social media, with many Nigerians expressing both empathy and anger.
Some commenters praised him for showing vulnerability and truthfulness, while others criticised the ruling party’s handling of insecurity since 2023.
A social media user wrote:
“It’s heartbreaking to see a senator cry on the floor of the National Assembly. If leaders are not safe, imagine the ordinary citizens.”
Ongoing Security Efforts
The Nigerian military has launched multiple operations across the North-West to combat terrorism and banditry, including Operation Hadarin Daji and Operation Whirl Punch.
However, analysts say the vast forests bordering Niger, Zamfara, and Kebbi States continue to serve as hideouts for armed groups.
Defence authorities have yet to respond to Senator Maidoki’s recent comments.
