Recent massacres in Yelwata (a village in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State) and Mangu (a locality in Plateau State)—killing 12 Kaduna indigenes—and over 200 civilians have been deemed acts of terrorism by the Nigerian Senate.
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This followed a call from the Red Chamber on Wednesday for community-based policing methods that are better able to safeguard vulnerable people, as well as other extensive changes to Nigeria’s national security plan.
The assaults on June 18 and 21 were part of a larger, systematic campaign of violence, and the Senate condemned them both. They also requested immediate and extensive federal action to stop the countrywide killing.
Senator Titus Zam (APC, Benue North West) had earlier moved a motion regarding the Yelwata massacre during a contentious plenary session, citing issues of critical national importance. Subsequently, the resolution was passed.
Senator Zam cited accounts from eyewitnesses who stated that a coordinated nighttime raid on Yelwata was carried out by armed assailants, leading to extensive destruction, the deaths of over 200 civilians (including women and children), and the levelling of multiple communities.
He made it clear that these were not random acts of violence but rather premeditated genocide against defenceless people in rural areas, describing the onslaught as genocidal in nature.
Many of his coworkers shared his feelings as they spoke out against the increasing violence in Benue and across Nigeria. They voiced their outrage, sadness, and sorrow in turn.
In a resolution that included numerous important demands and suggestions, the Senate urged the federal government to send more soldiers to Benue State, especially to Yelwata and other hotspots, in order to stop future attacks and make the state safe again.
In order to find and punish those responsible for the massacre, the Red Chamber demanded an open and comprehensive investigation.
Additionally, it demanded that the federal government begin rebuilding the properties damaged in the attack and pay the victims’ relatives.
Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central) argued that the state’s inability to control the violence in Benue is indicative of a larger problem and urged the house to address the crisis as a national emergency instead of a localised community uprising.
To determine the full scope of the harm and guarantee an appropriate government reaction, he further requested a legislative monitoring mission.
The rising trend of violence in Benue is consistent with what Senator Sadiq Umar (APC, Kwara North) pointed out as similar attacks in Patigi, Kwara State.
In his speech, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (APC, Ondo South) argued that security operations and information collection should be updated, proposing tech-driven solutions to improve response efficacy in remote and hard-to-reach places.
What we are seeing is a failure on the part of the state,” stated Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Furthermore, a last judgement before God is taking place outside of this room.
At the same time, on Wednesday, the Red Chamber burst into mourning and indignation over the horrific murders of twelve Nigerians on their way to a wedding in Plateau State’s Mangu Local Government Area on June 21.
Suspected local teenagers attacked the bus carrying women and children as it was officially marked as belonging to Ahmadu Bello University.
Senator Ibrahim Khalid (PDP, Kaduna North), speaking on a matter of critical national importance, characterised the incident as “a chilling example of lawlessness and rising intolerance. Unrest that has gone unpunished across the nation, he said, portends a complete collapse of law and order.
“It was deliberate. A cruel deed was committed. Khalid bemoaned the fact that the victims were in an obviously university vehicle and were trying to get directions when they were attacked.
Noting that retaliatory killings are rapidly becoming the norm, Senator Sunday Marshal Katung (PDP, Kaduna South) seconded the resolution.
“If this ‘eye for an eye’ cycle continues, we will all end up blind,” he warned, calling for an end to impunity and the immediate prosecution of those responsible.
The lawmaker voiced cautious optimism regarding the arrest reports, but emphasised the importance of not only promising but also delivering justice.
Other senators demanded a unified national response, drawing similarities to earlier atrocities in Benue and Southern Kaduna. With words like “brutal and inexcusable,” Senator Jibrin Barau, the presiding officer, characterised the murders.
It is really horrible to burn both the people and the car they were in. There will be consequences for this. According to reports, President Tinubu has issued strong directives, and the police have confirmed the arrest of 53 suspects.
The Senate is adamant that the only way to deter future attackers is to ensure that justice is served. People were not the only targets of this assault. According to Senator Khalid, it was a strike against our shared humanity.