The Senate has called on the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to investigate a series of deadly attacks in Benue State in which 113 people, including six Mobile Police personnel, were reportedly killed.
The lawmakers also urged the Chief of Army Staff and other security and intelligence chiefs to intensify operations in affected communities to prevent further attacks and protect residents.
The resolutions followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Senator Emmanuel Memga Udende, representing Benue North-East Senatorial District. The motion raised concerns over recurring violence in Ukum, Katsina-Ala and Logo Local Government Areas.
Presenting the motion, Udende said the attacks had caused significant loss of life, destroyed property and displaced residents. He added that the violence had disrupted farming and other economic activities, worsening the difficulties faced by affected communities.
According to the details presented to the Senate, 24 people were killed in Sai community in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, while 63 others died in attacks on Bom and Aboajio villages in Ukum Local Government Area.
Another 15 people, including six Mobile Police officers, were reportedly killed in Ayilamo, Logo Local Government Area. The senator also cited the killing of 11 people in Tse Biliji and Tse Shishi Nyako villages in Ukum on October 8, 2026.
The four incidents account for the reported death toll of 113 people.
The Senate condemned the killings and observed a minute of silence in honour of the victims. The lawmakers stressed the need for a coordinated response from security agencies to prevent further loss of life and restore safety in the affected areas.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio expressed concern over the reported deaths of security personnel, questioning the implications for civilians living in communities exposed to armed attacks.
“If military personnel and other armed security officers are killed in these attacks, what happens to communities that have no means of defending themselves?” Akpabio said.
The Senate’s directives place emphasis on investigation, stronger security operations and the protection of vulnerable communities. The police investigation is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the reported killings and identify those responsible.
The reported casualties underline the continuing security and humanitarian challenges confronting communities in Benue State, where repeated attacks have affected lives, livelihoods and local economic activities.
Deborah Adeyefa
