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Benue Killings: Reps Demand Urgent Military Action as Attacks Spread Across Kwande, Ushongo
By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives has raised alarm over the continuing killings in communities within the Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency of Benue State, calling on the Federal Government and security agencies to immediately intensify military operations to halt the violence.
The concern was brought before lawmakers during plenary on Thursday through a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Rep. Terseer Ugbor.
He drew attention to a series of recent attacks carried out by armed groups believed to be mercenaries and bandits in several communities in Kwande Local Government Area.
According to the lawmaker, the assaults have left many people dead and injured while homes, farmlands and other property have been destroyed. The violence has also forced numerous residents to flee their communities.
Rep. Ugbor highlighted a deadly incident on 3 February 2026 when gunmen stormed the Abande and Anwase communities in the Turan district. At least 17 people were killed during the attack, including a Mobile Police officer. Several others sustained injuries as houses were razed and livelihoods wiped out.
He noted that other communities have also come under similar assaults, including Anem and Tomataan in the Ikyurav-Ya area, as well as parts of Ikyov in Ushongo Local Government Area.
The lawmaker further informed the House of another violent episode on 5 March 2026, when armed attackers struck Mbaav community in Mbadura Council Ward and Mbachoon community, along with nearby settlements in Yaav Council Ward. Sixteen people lost their lives in that incident, while several others were left wounded.
The motion has intensified calls within the chamber for stronger security intervention to restore safety in the affected communities and prevent further bloodshed.
“As we speak here today Mr Speaker, a mass burial is currently planned to bury some of the people who recently lost their lives to these attacks,” Ugbor said.
The lawmaker disclosed that during an on the spot assessment of the affected areas on March 8, he observed that although a full battalion of the Nigerian Army had been deployed to the area, the troops were facing operational constraints that hinder effective response.
He also noted that the operational mandate of the deployed forces appeared unclear, raising questions about whether the mission was intended as a peacekeeping effort or a full combat operation aimed at flushing out armed groups and bandits operating in the area.
Ugbor further warned that the porous Nigeria Cameroon border corridor in Benue State has created easy entry and exit routes for armed groups, providing safe havens in ungoverned spaces.
He added that illegal mining activities in the mineral rich border region were also attracting criminal networks and fueling illicit activities that worsen insecurity.
The lawmaker also expressed concern that the Kashimbila area in neighbouring Taraba State had become a staging ground for attackers, warning that without urgent intervention the violence could escalate and deepen the humanitarian crisis.
The House unanimously adopted the motion urgi g the Federal Government and security agencies to immediately deploy additional technological and logistical support, including drones, surveillance assets and modern combat equipment, to security forces operating in Kwande Local Government Area.
The lawmakers also called on the Federal Government to transform the Benue Nigeria Cameroon border area into an Export Processing Zone (EPZ) with strong security and economic infrastructure to promote legitimate economic activities and deny criminal groups safe havens.
The House further urged the government to impose an immediate ban on illegal mining in the affected areas and establish strict regulatory monitoring to prevent criminal exploitation of mineral resources.
It also mandated the House Committees on Defence, and National Security and Intelligence to liaise with relevant agencies for the prompt implementation of the resolutions and report back to the House.
The House observed a one-minute silence in honour of victims of the attacks.
Finally, Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu has resigned from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.
In a resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to President Bola Tinubu, Adelabu said the decision would take effect from April 30, 2026, to allow for a smooth transition.
The letter, routed through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, stated that he was stepping down with “a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude.”
He wrote, “I write with a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude to formally tender my resignation as the Honourable Minister of Power of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This resignation is to take effect on 30th April 2026, in order to allow sufficient time for a smooth and orderly handover of responsibilities.”
Adelabu thanked the President for the opportunity to serve, describing his appointment as a privilege.
He said, “Your Excellency, I remain sincerely grateful for the privilege and confidence you reposed in me by appointing me to serve our great nation in this capacity.
It has been a rare honour to contribute to national development under your leadership and to play a role in advancing reforms in the power sector—one of the most critical foundations of Nigeria’s industrial growth and economic transformation.”
By Gloria Ikibah
As part of efforts to strengthen the country’s security architecture, President Bola Tinubu, has sent a formal communication to the House of Representatives on seeking legislative approval for the repeal and re-enactment of the Nigerian Police Trust Fund (NPTF) Establishment Act, 2025.
The request which was transmitted to the House for consideration and passage on Wednesday at plenary, underscores the need to improve the management and administration of the fund, enhance police training, and provide modern equipment for the Nigeria Police Force.
According to the letter,, the proposed amendment is aimed at boosting the operational capacity, accountability, and sustainability of the Police Trust Fund in line with current security challenges.
The President urged lawmakers to give the bill expeditious consideration, as the said the reform will improve the welfare of police personnel and support skill development across the force.
In another development, the House Committee on Rules and Business has moved to tighten legislative discipline, directing all standing and ad hoc committees to submit reports on bills and motions within set timelines in line with House procedures.
Chairman of the committee, Rep. Francis Uwaive, reminded all committee chairmen to treat all assigned matters within 30 days, with the risk of losing such assignments after 60 days if no progress is made, except where a short extension is granted.
A firm deadline has also been set for all outstanding reports, with the end of April 2026 as the cut-off point, and non-compliance attracting automatic discharge.
Amid the formal proceedings, lawmakers briefly paused to celebrate two members marking their birthdays, acknowledging their contributions to public service and national development.
The mood later shifted as the House paid tribute to a former member of the Fifth Assembly, observing a minute’s silence in his honour following his passing after a prolonged illness.
He was remembered for his dedication and service to his constituents in Benue State, with colleagues noting that his death represents a significant loss to the legislature and the country.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday that their naval forces stopped two ships attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz and directed them to the territorial waters of the Islamic Republic.
“The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval force this morning identified and stopped in the Strait of Hormuz two violating ships,” the Guards said in a statement.
“The two offending ships… were seized by the IRGC’s naval forces and directed to the Iranian coast.”
They identified one ship as “MSC-FRANCESCA”, which they said belonged “to the Zionist regime” in reference to Israel, and the other as “EPAMINONDAS”, which they said was “tampering with navigation systems and jeopardising maritime security.”
The Guards further warned against any action against the regulations imposed by the Islamic republic in the strait “as well as activities contrary to the safe passage” through the waterway.
Tehran has said vessels must seek permission to leave of enter the Gulf through Hormuz, through a route that in peacetime accounts for a fifth of the world’s oil and gas exports along with other vital commodities.
Source: AFP
BREAKING: Finally, Power Minister, Adelabu resigns from Tinubu’s cabinet
Reps Begin Review of Police Trust Fund Law, Tighten Timeline for Committee Work
Iran Seizes Two Ships attempting to cross Strait of Hormuz
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