Nigeria’s worsening security situation has drawn a fresh warning from the International Human Rights Commission – Relief Fund Trust (IHRC-RFT), Nigeria Chapter.

The group said the country’s democratic institutions will be judged by how they respond to the growing wave of violence across the nation.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the IHRC said the National Assembly must take urgent and visible action to address the crisis affecting citizens in many parts of the country.

The Commission praised Alhassan Ado Doguwa for raising alarm on the floor of the House of Representatives in November 2025. It described his intervention as bold and necessary at a time when insecurity has become a daily fear for Nigerians.

Doguwa had warned that Nigeria was running in blood and tears. The IHRC said his words captured the reality of communities under attack and families living in grief.

According to the Commission, farmers have fled their farmlands, villages have been forced to relocate, worship centres have been targeted, and innocent citizens have lost their lives in different regions of the country.

The rights group said Doguwa’s statement should have triggered immediate action from lawmakers. It added that leadership must go beyond speeches and turn concern into policy and oversight.

However, the Commission expressed disappointment that months after the warning, Nigerians have not seen any clear improvement in security.

“The frequency of violent incidents across multiple regions continues to raise grave concern,” the statement said.

The group also questioned the leadership of the National Assembly over what steps have been taken since the lawmaker’s appeal.

“Mr. Rt. Hon. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Distinguished President of the Senate; where does this matter currently stand?” the statement asked.

“Why has decisive and visible legislative action not followed the passionate appeal made on the floor by Hon. Ado Doguwa?”

The IHRC noted that security is a constitutional duty and should not be treated as a routine political issue. It said failure to act could weaken public confidence in democracy and allow criminal groups to grow stronger.

“Security challenges of this magnitude require more than debate; they require coordinated legislative oversight, emergency frameworks, intelligence reform, and strict accountability mechanisms,” the Commission stated.

It stressed that the crisis affects all Nigerians and is not based on religion, region, or political party.

The group also clarified that it does not belong to any political movement.

“We align with principles, the protection of human life, dignity, and fundamental rights,” the statement said.

It added that while Doguwa deserved praise for speaking out, real change would only come from collective action by lawmakers in both chambers of the National Assembly.

“Nigerians deserve to see outcomes, not only expressions of concern,” the Commission said.

The IHRC concluded that the time for statements has passed and that urgent steps must now be taken to protect lives and restore public trust.

“History will judge institutions not by the intensity of their debates, but by the effectiveness of their response. The time to act is now.”

Barr. Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has declared Friday a work-free day ahead of the February 21 area council elections.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Barinada Mpigi, is dead.

He was 64.

A source confirmed the lawmaker’s demise to Peoples Gazette on Thursday. Details surrounding the circumstances of his death were not immediately disclosed as of the time of filing this report.

Born on June 23, 1961, Mpigi represented Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the Senate until his passing.

He began his legislative journey in 2011 when he was elected into the House of Representatives. He was subsequently re-elected in 2016 for a second term.

In 2019, he moved to the Senate after winning election to represent Rivers South-East Senatorial District on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.

During the Ninth Assembly, Mpigi was appointed chairman of a joint Senate committee established to investigate crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region – a development that placed him at the centre of legislative efforts to address oil-related economic sabotage.

As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, he also played a key role in oversight of federal infrastructure projects across the country.

-NaijaNews