National Assembly Resumes Amid Rising Insecurity: House of Reps and Benue Governor Clash Over Causes of Killings

As the National Assembly reconvenes today after an extended recess, tensions have escalated between the House of Representatives and the Benue State Government over the recent surge in violent attacks within the state. The House Deputy Spokesman, Philip Agbese, attributed the spike in killings to Governor Hyacinth Alia’s alleged abandonment of the state’s anti-open grazing law, which he claims has emboldened perpetrators to target innocent citizens.

Agbese stated, “Before his election, there was an anti open grazing law in place. He completely abandoned that law and was busy claiming that there were no issues in Benue… We are happy that he is beginning to realise that this is not the way to go.” He further criticized the governor’s reliance on the ECOWAS Protocol to justify unrestricted movement of herders, emphasizing that the protocol does not permit reckless human transit without documentation.

In response, Governor Alia, through his Technical Adviser Solomon Iorpev, challenged Agbese’s understanding of democratic processes, explaining that laws cannot simply be suspended without due legislative procedures. “It’s only in a military regime that you hear about suspension of laws without following due process,” Iorpev said, urging the deputy spokesman to “go for further study on what democracy entails.” The governor reiterated his commitment to enforcing the anti-open grazing law at various forums.

Recent attacks in Ukum and Logo Local Government Areas have claimed at least 56 lives in three weeks, prompting Governor Alia to appeal for federal intervention. The House of Representatives, under Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, has vowed to prioritize national security issues upon resumption, with Agbese warning that failure by security agencies to produce fresh strategies may lead to their replacement.

Meanwhile, the House Committee on Public Petitions has summoned Governors Alia and Zamfara’s Dauda Lawal, along with their state assemblies, to appear on May 8 to explain why their functions should not be taken over by the National Assembly. This follows a petition by the civil rights group Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law, which accused the governors of failing to address insecurity.

The Benue State House of Assembly is set to deliberate on whether to honor the summons, with Speaker Dajoh Hyacinth confirming receipt of the invitation and promising a public announcement of their decision.

On the security front, the Senate has pledged to fast-track President Tinubu’s tax reform bills and address the wave of killings in Benue, Plateau, and Borno states, promising increased engagement with security agencies to curb terrorism.