ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The House of Representatives has commenced a two-day public hearing on a series of defence reform bills aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s military institutions and improving national security operations amid rising insecurity across the country.
The hearing, organised by the House Committee on Defence at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Monday, brought together lawmakers, senior military officers, security experts, civil society groups, veterans, and academics to deliberate on proposed legislation that could reshape the country’s defence framework.
Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, said the proposed laws are part of broader efforts by the 10th Assembly to respond to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
He noted that the Armed Forces are currently under pressure from multiple threats, including insurgency in the North-East, banditry and kidnapping in the North-West, communal conflicts in the North-Central, separatist agitations in the South-East, as well as piracy and cyber threats.
Abbas stressed that the reforms are not routine legislative exercises but necessary interventions to build a more “resilient, inclusive and effective military institution.”
According to him, emerging threats such as cyber warfare, piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, and criminal-terror networks require a stronger legal and institutional framework.
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Among the key proposals is a bill seeking to repeal the existing Armed Forces Act and replace it with a new Nigerian Military Force Bill designed to modernise command structures, military administration, and operations.
Other proposals include the establishment of an Armed Forces Farms and Ranches Scheme to support food production and logistics, as well as reforms in military education, healthcare, research, and professional training.
Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Babajimi Benson, said the public hearing represents a critical stage in lawmaking and allows stakeholders to directly influence national security policies.
He emphasised that public participation ensures more effective and inclusive legislation, especially in sensitive areas such as defence and national security.
Benson added that all memoranda and submissions from stakeholders would be carefully reviewed before the committee presents its final recommendations to the House.
He also paid tribute to members of the Armed Forces for their sacrifices in defending the country’s territorial integrity.
The hearing is expected to produce recommendations that could lead to far-reaching reforms in military governance, veterans’ welfare, and national defence strategy, as Nigeria continues to confront complex and evolving security threats.