Barring any last minute change of plan, the Senate will again, be meeting with the security chiefs next week in Abuja over the heightened insecurity in some parts of the country.
The security chiefs expected to meet with the Red Chamber include the Chiefs of Defence Staff, General Chris Musa; Army Staff, Lt. General Olufemi Oluyede; Naval Staff, Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla; and the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Hassan Abubakar.
Others are the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; Directors-General, Department of State Services, DSS, Adeola Ajayi; National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Mohammed Mohammed.
President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio announced this on Tuesday while commenting 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” over incessant attacks and killings in the area by suspected herdsmen sponsored by Senator Titus Zam representing Benue North West Senatorial District in the National Assembly.
The Senate, in its resolutions, urged the security agencies to restore law and order in Gwer-West Local Government Area and other parts under threats of insecurity with immediate effect while the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs should send relief materials to the affected communities.
It also enjoined the Benue State government to enforce the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law with a view to restoring peace in the state.
The upper legislative chamber equally mandated the its Committees on Defence; National Security and Intelligence; Livestock Development; and Agriculture to visit Gwer-West Local Government Area and have a first-hand assessment of the situation in sympathy with the bereaved families and all those affected by the crises and also to expedite action on the Open Grazing Prohibition Bill for its quick passage into law.
Earlier while presenting the motion, Senator Zam informed that “the peace loving people of Gyaruwa community in Gwer-West Local Government Area of Benue State were invaded by bandits masquerading as herders on Monday, 10th March, 2025 resulting in the killing of four persons.”
This development, he added forced irate youths to storm the streets in protest against the continued killing of the people amid seeming inability of the government to protect them.
Senator Zam noted that “the youths in anger and frustration burnt down the Gwer-West Local Government Secretariat, the palace of the paramount ruler of the local government, my private residence and houses of other prominent sons in the area, accusing us of inability to safeguard the community.”
The All Progressives Congress, APC lawmaker recalled that he had on several occasions moved motions and presented bills on this subject matter including Bill on Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment, which is awaiting public hearing.
Senator Zam added that the Benue State House of Assembly had enacted Open Grazing Prohibition Law which still subsists, but lamented that the manifest inability of the present administration in the state to enforce the law has exposed members of the National Assembly to undue pressure and name calling by their constituents, noting that “this situation has emboldened the bandits and further worsened the security situation in Benue State.”
He, however, warned that the incessant attacks by bandits on Gyaruwa community in Gwer-West Local Government Area of Benue State will significantly impact
food production and agricultural activities, jeopardizing food security and livelihoods of the people in the affected local government area.