Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday announced new leadership for four key Senate committees as part of renewed efforts to strengthen oversight of Nigeria’s security architecture.
The appointments, unveiled during plenary, form part of the upper chamber’s broader strategy to enhance accountability and responsiveness across the country’s security and intelligence institutions.
Akpabio named Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (APC–Kebbi North) as Chairman of the Committee on National Intelligence and National Security, placing him at the forefront of the Senate’s oversight of intelligence operations, counter-terrorism efforts, and inter-agency coordination.
Senator Shehu Buba (APC–Bauchi South), who was removed last week as Chairman of the same committee over alleged lapses, has now been appointed Chairman of the Committee on Livestock and Animal Husbandry — a sector increasingly linked to national security due to recurring farmer–herder clashes, rural banditry, and related conflicts.
In the new reshuffle, Senator Osita Ngwu (Enugu West) was named Acting Chairman of the Committee on Air Force, while Senator Musa Mustapha (Yobe East) emerged as Chairman of the Committee on National Planning, a portfolio expected to support alignment between national development priorities and evolving security realities.
The changes followed the dissolution of the Committees on National Security & Intelligence and the Air Force on November 26, after a motion moved by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele.
Additionally, the Senate directed all security-related committees — including those overseeing the Army, Navy, Defence, Interior, and Police Affairs — to submit comprehensive oversight reports within one week and subsequently appear in a closed session before the chamber.
Sources suggest the restructuring underscores the Senate’s growing resolve to demand stronger efficiency, transparency, and results from security agencies amid the nation’s persistent insecurity challenges.
With the new committee heads now in place, focus is expected to shift to how quickly and effectively they respond to the Senate’s heightened push for reforms across Nigeria’s expansive security framework.
