Senate Backs Tinubu on Establishment of Forest Guards, Wants Benue Killings Investigated

Urges FG to secure release of abducted Kogi monarch, Oba Ogunyanda

By James Adamu

The Senate has welcomed President Bola Tinubu’s directive to the National Security Adviser to establish forest guards across the country as part of measures to contain growing insecurity.

It also drew Tinubu’s attention to the “Nigerian Forest Security Services (Establishment) Bill, 2025”, just passed by the Senate, noting that the bill “can be brought back to accommodate Mr President’s line of thought, regarding the setting up of the proposed forest guard.”

The Senate equally called for an investigation into the May 1 and 7 attacks by Fulani herders in Akpete and Ojantele communities of Apa Local Government Area of Benue State, which led to the death of 13 persons.

The Red Chamber, acting on a motion moved by the Minority Leader, Sen. Abba Moro, observed that two weeks after the first attack, nobody had been brought to book in connection with the killings.

“The Senate urges the Nigeria Police and other relevant security agencies to carry out a comprehensive investigation of these dastardly attacks with a view to arresting the perpetrators”, it said.

The Senate made the call as it passed a resolution on Thursday, urging the Federal Government to direct security agencies to secure the immediate release of Oba James Dada Ogunyanda, the Obalohun of Okoloke in Yagba-West Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The monarch had been abducted in the early hours of Thursday by yet-to-be-identified persons, according to a motion of urgent national importance moved by the Chairman, Senate Services, Sen. Steve Karimi.

He informed the Senate that the abductors had stormed the place of the royal father, a second class chief, about 12am, “shooting sporadically into the air before whisking the traditional ruler away to an unknown location.”

Karimi, who represents Kogi-West Senatorial District, said Okoloke, a border town to Kwara State, had been peaceful until recently when “criminal elements filtered into the community to perpetuate this dastardly act.”

He told the Senate that while the families of the monarch await the intervention of security agencies, local vigilantes and residents were doing everything within their means to facilitate the release of the royal father.

“This is yet another incident of kidnapping in the country with unclear motive, as no demand for ransom has been made yet, as such urgent steps must be taken by the relevant security agencies to ensure the safe release of the monarch.”

In tackling cases of insecurity, the Senate further advised the government to consider a review of the country’s security architecture.