Mathew Amaechi
The return of the National Assembly from its extended recess on Tuesday has been marked by a storm of accusations over the escalating insecurity in Nigeria—a debate that has now engulfed federal lawmakers and Benue State officials in a public spat. The controversy centers on a series of deadly attacks in Ukum and Logo Local Government Areas, where, in the past three weeks alone, at least 56 lives have been lost.
During the heated discourse, Deputy Spokesman of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, leveled serious allegations against Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State. Agbese contends that the governor’s abandonment of the state’s anti-open grazing law has contributed to the recent spate of killings. “Before his election, there was a functioning anti-open grazing law that kept herders accountable. Governor Alia chose to sideline this law by invoking the ECOWAS Protocol—an excuse that has now cost innocent lives,” Agbese remarked. He warned that the Assembly is no longer willing to stand by passively while attacks continue to devastate communities.
Governor Alia, however, fired back robustly. Through his Technical Adviser on Communication, Solomon Iorpev, the governor criticized Agbese’s remarks, arguing that the deputy spokesman’s assertions reflect a poor understanding of democratic processes. “In a democratic system, there are strict procedures for repealing or suspending laws. If Mr. Agbese lacks evidence to support his claims, then it might be that he does not fully understand the workings of democracy,” Iorpev stated.
The controversy is unfolding against a backdrop of widespread insecurity that has gripped Nigeria in recent months. While lethal attacks have strained the Benue communities, similar acts of violence in Plateau and Zamfara States have fueled national outrage. The wave of insecurity has even prompted calls for President Bola Tinubu to cut short his vacation abroad and return to lead the fight against escalating banditry and terrorism.
In an interview with media, Agbese voiced a firm commitment to confronting the nation’s security challenges. “Every life in Nigeria is precious,” he said. “Our duty as lawmakers goes beyond mere symbolic gestures. We are urging actionable reforms so that all Nigerians can live without the fear of losing their lives to senseless violence.”
Adding another layer to the controversy, the House Committee on Public Petitions has summoned Governor Alia—as well as his Zamfara State counterpart, Dauda Lawal—to appear before it on Thursday. The summons, which also includes a call for the leadership of the respective state assemblies to explain their roles, comes in the wake of a petition by a civil rights organization urging the National Assembly to assume oversight of state governments and assemblies.
The Benue State House of Assembly is set to deliberate the matter on Tuesday, with Speaker Dajoh Hyacinth confirming receipt of the summons but withholding immediate comment on the next steps. Meanwhile, debates continue in Zamfara State, where dissenters in the parallel House of Assembly have vowed to press on despite alleged intimidation tactics by the state government.
While the House grapples with state-level conflicts over security policies, the Senate has turned its attention to a broader legislative agenda. The chamber is poised to fast-track President Tinubu’s tax reform bills, a move deemed critical for overhauling Nigeria’s fiscal policies and boosting revenue collection.
Concurrently, the Senate has committed to addressing the disturbing resurgence of attacks in several states including Benue, Borno, Katsina, and Plateau. Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, emphasized that a multifaceted approach was needed to confront insecurity, ranging from engaging security chiefs to reviewing pending legislation on the Constitution and Electoral Act.
This series of high-level confrontations reveals the urgency of addressing not only the immediate loss of life caused by criminal attacks but also the systemic challenges in Nigeria’s legislative and security apparatus. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are being called upon to ensure that processes within democracy—ranging from law enforcement to legislative oversight—are robust enough to secure every Nigerian’s right to live in safety and dignity.
As discussions intensify in the halls of the National Assembly and in state capitals, the nation watches keenly, hoping that decisive and collaborative action will emerge from this impasse. The coming days will determine whether these debates translate into tangible reforms that can reverse the current tide of violence and restore public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.