Members of the Northern Senators Forum have voiced their strong disapproval of the deadly violence that recently occurred in Benue and Kaduna states. These incidents led to significant loss of life and forced many citizens to flee their homes.
Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua, who chairs the forum, issued a statement on Wednesday expressing deep sorrow for the victims. He noted that 13 individuals were killed in an attack on the Efeyi community in Benue’s Otukpo area on July 28. Furthermore, around 30 people, including women and children, were killed during a raid on Naridon village in Kaduna on July 26, which also left many homes destroyed.
The forum is backing President Bola Tinubu’s plan to boost national security by expanding the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions and adding 28,000 new recruits. The senators believe this move will decentralize military command, improve border protection, and allow for a faster response to threats. They emphasized, however, that these expanded units must be properly funded, equipped, and supported with better welfare for the troops.
To achieve lasting peace, the forum urged citizens to share reliable intelligence with authorities. They also called on the government to bring the attackers to justice while providing necessary humanitarian relief to those displaced by the violence.
