• Military, police step up search for criminals •We’re monitoring the situation, says UN chief
From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The Senate has expressed frustration over the continued loss of lives in Benue State, declaring that it is time for action as Nigerians are tired of condolence visits after recurrent attacks in the state and other parts of the country.
The upper chamber also disclosed that a delegation of senators would join President Bola Tinubu and other officials from the executive on a state visit to Benue State today to commiserate with victims of the latest round of killings.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the attacks. He said those responsible for the violence should be apprehended.
Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the Secretary-General, said: “We’re monitoring the situation. The Secretary-General condemns the killing of innocent civilians, including in Nigeria, and we hope that those responsible for this violence will be found and apprehended.”
The Benue State Government has declared today a work-free day.
The declaration was announced in a statement by Mrs Deborah Aber, Secretary to the State Government, yesterday in Makurdi.
“This is in honour of Bola Tinubu, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who is scheduled for a one-day visit to the state.
“The visit is to commiserate with the government and people of the state over incessant security challenges.
“Note, however, that those engaged in essential services like health workers, security agencies and banks are exempted from this holiday,” she said.
Aber urged Benue residents to come out in large numbers to receive the President and his entourage.
During his visit, Tinubu will meet with stakeholders, including traditional rulers, political, religious, community leaders and youth groups to seek lasting solutions to the hostilities.
Speaking to journalists at the National Assembly yesterday, Senate spokesman Yemi Adaramodu said the visit would also provide an opportunity to engage critical stakeholders in the state and chart a path forward.
“We are even tired of paying condolence visits. We must put a stop to it. We are tired of going to Plateau today, Benue tomorrow. The Senate, along with the Executive, is determined to ensure that these senseless killings come to an end,” he said.
He said the planned visit to Benue would include a fact-finding mission and high-level engagements aimed at addressing the root causes of insecurity in the region.
“Our intention is not just to condole the victims but to engage stakeholders and ensure that the government, both the executive and the legislature, are seen to be responsive. We are convening a national security summit soon, where not only the military and security agencies, but also the media, civil society groups, women, youths and traditional rulers will participate. This is beyond condolence; it is time to find solutions.
“Tomorrow’s visit is not the end; it is the beginning of a coordinated response. We must show Nigerians that their lives matter and we will do everything to protect them,” he said.
The lawmaker called on all levels of government, security agencies and communities to work together to end the bloodshed.
He further explained that despite the efforts of the Senate and the House of Representatives in making budgetary provisions to improve security operations, incidents like those in Benue had continued due to systemic challenges that require collaborative resolution.
“No one can say we have not engaged security agencies or funded their operations. What is happening now, these sporadic killings, must be tackled through local involvement and joint responsibility. Like they say, all politics is local. The same way, all security is local,” he said.
Responding to enquiries on what the Senate is doing to stop the killings, he emphasised that the upcoming visit to Benue would help reaffirm the Senate’s commitment to security reform and community protection.
“The presence of the government in Benue tomorrow, both executive and legislative, is to show that we are not turning a blind eye. And the planned security summit will go further to identify gaps and generate lasting solutions to these killings, not only in Benue but also across Nigeria.
“Enough is enough. We cannot continue to live on the pages of newspapers announcing death tolls. It’s time for real action,” he said.
The senator also used the opportunity to defend the Senate’s adherence to its constitutional responsibilities and procedures in plenary sittings and emergency decisions.
He clarified concerns about voting procedures used in recent decisions, especially the controversial endorsement of emergency rule in Rivers State, saying, “We followed our rules. Security matters are debated in closed session as stipulated and consensus was reached. What we agreed upon was affirmed in plenary. We acted within the law.”
He also defended the number of plenary sitting days held by the Senate in the past two years.
“Out of 365 days in a year, we are constitutionally expected to sit for 181 days, and we have always met or exceeded that milestone. In addition to plenary, we carry out committee work, oversight functions and investigations, all of which contribute to our legislative duties,” he said.
On allegations that Senate investigations and probes often go nowhere, the senator explained that most times, outcomes of probes influence government action behind the scenes, even if not publicly dramatised.
“Ours is to investigate, make resolutions and recommend action. It is up to the Executive and relevant agencies to implement them. But it is false to say our work yields no result,” he said.
Meanwhile, the military, police and other agencies have stepped up the search for criminals. Daily Sun learnt that troops have been deployed to comb all the forests in the affected areas to fish out criminal elements and stem the tide of killings.