The Senate at it plenary session of Tuesday, 16 January 2018, approved the report of its Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of Security Infrastructure in Nigeria. The report details the Committee’s findings from its visit to Benue State following the clashes between herdsmen and farmers in the State.

Presenting the report, Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Ahmed Lawan (APC: Yobe) informed the Senate that on arrival to the State on Friday, 12 January 2018, the Committee commenced a courtesy visit to the Tor Tiv (Chairman of Benue State Council of Traditional Rulers); Governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom, Traditional Rulers and Chairmen from Logo and Guma Local Government Areas; Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camp; Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly; Commissioner of Police; and the Director of State Security Service.

Sen. Lawan mentioned that the Dr. Ortom had informed the Committee that the feud between farmers and herdsmen in the State had deteriorated due to increased tensions in rural communities due to some remote causes such as:

1. Conflict over farming and grazing rights of different communities;
2. Failure to prosecute perpetrators of violence and the lack of compensation of victims encouraged reprisal attacks;
3. Reluctant disposition of some security agencies had alienated the people from interacting with officers deployed to affected communities;
4. Lack of proper administration and enforcement of existing ECOWAS Protocol and treaties regarding the free movement of persons and livestock across national borders;
5. Non-compliance with the State Anti-grazing law by herdsmen; and
6. Inability of the Federal Government to provide permanent security units in affected communities.

Following the interactions, Sen. Lawan stated that the Committee had observed that:

1. The violence and mayhem in Benue State is a manifestation of a larger security crisis which if not attended to could destroy rural economy and means of the people’s livelihood.
2. The crisis which is a result of competition for access to natural resources has escalated by proliferation of arms and rural banditry.
3. Failure to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of these acts could deepen ethno-religious crisis.
4. Over years, the recommendations from reports of various panels and committees set up by the Federal Government on the matter have never been implemented.
5. There is a level of distrust and lack of cooperation between citizens and security forces for fear of incrimination and exploitation.
6. The deployment of security personnel across the State was inadequate and in some areas completely absent.

The Senate, among other recommendations, resolved to:

1. Conduct a National Security Summit with a view to addressing security challenges in Nigeria;
2. Urge the Federal Government to review the nation’s security infrastructure in order to ensure that no life was left un-secured and unsafe;
3. Mandate the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to arrest perpetrators of the attack within two weeks.
4. Transmit its recommendations and resolution to President Muhammdu Buhari;
5. Direct the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to enforce the documentation protocol and quarantine of cattle and livestock at international control posts; an
6. Urge the Federal Government to establish State and Community policing across 36 States of the Federation.

It would be recalled that the Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki (APC: Kwara) had directed the Ad-hoc Committee to immediately undertake assessment visits to Benue State following the attacks between farmers and herdsmen on Sunday, 31 December 2017 and Tuesday, 2 January 2018.

Click here to view the full report of the Committee