Days after leading his fellow lawmakers to have a sumptuous dinner at the Presidential Villa with first lady Remi Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio lamented that over 200 schoolchildren are still languishing in terrorists’ den.

Mr Akpabio raised the abduction of schoolchildren and their prolonged captivity in the terrorists’ den on Wednesday during the screening of Christopher Musa, the defence minister nominee.

Opposing Sani Musa, senator representing Niger East, who had said that the former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) should be asked to take a “bow and go,” Mr Akpabio said Mr Musa should be asked critical questions on Nigeria’s security.

“He is not just anybody; he is the chief of defence staff and a nominee for minister of defence of a country, and you stand up and say he should take a bow and go with so many questions on the mouths of Nigerians with over 200 Nigerian children in the bush kidnapped and being tortured,” Mr Akpabio said.

The Senate President cited pressure from the U.S. government, saying Mr Musa should be asked questions on President Donald Trump’s threat to invade Nigeria to kill off terrorists.

“Even Nigerians will love to ask him questions at a time like this, so if we come here and we do politics, politics of bow and go… This is not a period we should say ‘bow and go’,” Mr Akpabio said.

He added, “Even Donald Trump is on our neck; we have not yet asked him what his response will be to Donald Trump, the president of America.”

This comes less than a week after Mr Akpabio led other senators to attend a dinner at the Villa last week, while about 253 pupils kidnapped from St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri in Niger were still held hostage by a terrorist group.

Reading Mrs Tinubu’s invitation to senators for a dinner during plenary last Tuesday, Mr Akpabio said, “Remi Tinubu, CON, First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

“This is like an invitation by a mother to her children on Friday. I wish you (a) sumptuous meal and fruitful discussion,” Mr Akpabio said.

Mr Akpabio added, “Senator Wammako, you are looking at me as if you are going to travel. This is very important. We will all be there on Friday.”

Photos of Mr Akpabio, his colleagues, and Mrs Tinubu at the dinner were circulated on social media after the event.