The National Assembly’s return from recess today is marked by a sharp dispute between the House of Representatives and Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia over the causes of recent deadly attacks in the state, okay.ng reports.
Deputy Spokesman Philip Agbese blamed the governor for abandoning the state’s anti-open grazing law, which he says has led to increased violence against civilians.
Agbese said, “The governor kept referring to the ECOWAS Protocol which guarantees free movement… but it does not make room for reckless human transit without documentation.” He lamented that the previous law required herders to register with local communities, a practice abandoned by Governor Alia.
Governor Alia’s office responded through Technical Adviser Solomon Iorpev, who dismissed Agbese’s claims as ignorance of democratic legislative processes. “In a democratic system, there are processes to repeal existing laws… he doesn’t know anything about democracy,” Iorpev said. The governor has reiterated his support for enforcing the anti-grazing law despite the controversy.
The attacks in Ukum and Logo LGAs have killed over 50 people in recent weeks, with the governor appealing to the Federal Government for assistance. The House of Representatives has vowed to confront insecurity head-on, with Agbese warning that security chiefs who fail to innovate will be replaced.
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 alleged failures in governance and security. The summons follows a petition by a civil rights group calling for the National Assembly to take over the functions of the state assemblies due to ongoing crises.
Benue’s House of Assembly is scheduled to discuss whether to comply with the summons, with Speaker Dajoh Hyacinth confirming receipt of the invitation and promising transparency on the outcome.
Meanwhile, the Senate plans to prioritize the passage of tax reform bills and address the security challenges in Benue and other states as part of its agenda upon resumption.
