By Olugbenga Salami
Following the killing of over 50 people in fresh attacks on some communities in Benue State by suspected terrorists and the rising insecurity across the country, the Senate on Wednesday reached a resolution asking the leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly to urgently seek audience with President Bola Tinubu to find lasting solutions to the security challenges facing the country.
This was even as the Red Chamber urged the Service Chiefs and heads of other security agencies to as a matter of urgency, deploy security personnel to address the continuing and ongoing attacks by armed terrorist parading as herdsmen on communities in Kwande, Ukum, Logo and Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas of Benue State with a view to flushing them out and restore normalcy to the affected communities, and invest in surveillance technology and equipment to detect and prevent future attacks.
The proposed meeting with the President, and other resolutions which are coming after earlier one by the Red Chamber, is to intimate him with the reports of security summits in the 8th and 9th Assemblies as well as the far -reaching resolutions of its recent engagements with the security chiefs.
The resolutions followed a motion brought under matters of urgent public importance pursuant to Orders 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended) by Senator Emmanuel Udende (APC Benue North East) following the fresh attacks on the Benue communities.
Leading debate on the motion, Senator Udende lamented that no fewer than 50 persons have been killed in fresh attacks in the affected communities, adding that as at Tuesday, March 5 those attacked include Tyuluv, Borikyo, Kundav, Ugbaam, Uyam, Udedeku, Yaaiwa, Nyihemba, Tomatar , Menakwagh, Yiase and Agura, all in the Benue North East Senatorial district of the state.
According to him, “the residents of the villages and communities now find themselves targeted on a daily basis by heavily armed terrorist herdsmen, and the toll continues to be staggering as they bear the brunt, with reports of marauders butchering several villagers, leaving many homes completely burnt down and numerous residents still missing while the perpetrators, however, remain elusive and have not been apprehended.”
