The Senate is set to reconvene with key security chiefs next week in Abuja to discuss the escalating security challenges facing parts of Nigeria, particularly in Benue State. The meeting will involve high-ranking officials, including the Chief of Defence Staff, General Chris Musa, Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Hassan Abubakar, and other top security leaders such as the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and heads of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
The decision to convene the meeting follows ongoing violence in Benue State, particularly in Gwer-West Local Government Area, which has seen repeated attacks by suspected herders. Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, made the announcement during a debate on a motion titled “Urgent Need for the Federal Government to Deploy Troops to Immediately Restore Law and Order in Gwer-West Local Government of Benue State.”
The motion, introduced by Senator Titus Zam of Benue North West, was a response to the recent killings in the Gyaruwa community, where bandits masquerading as herders attacked, leaving four people dead. The attacks have sparked widespread unrest, with local youths protesting the ongoing violence and accusing government officials of failing to protect the community.
The Senate, in its resolution, called on security agencies to swiftly restore peace in Gwer-West and other affected areas. It also urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to provide immediate relief to affected residents. Additionally, the Senate emphasized the enforcement of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, which had been enacted by the Benue State House of Assembly but has not been effectively enforced.
Zam warned that the continued attacks were not only threatening lives but also jeopardizing the region’s food security and agricultural activities, which are vital to the livelihoods of many in the area.
As the Senate prepares for further deliberations and the planned meeting with security chiefs, the pressure is mounting on both state and federal authorities to take decisive action to address the growing insecurity in Benue State and across the country.
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