The Nigerian Senate has called on the Federal Government to establish a military base in Kwande Local Government Area to strengthen security and enable displaced residents to safely return to their homes.
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The Senate lawmakers also urged security agencies to intensify surveillance and carry out coordinated patrols and operations in the affected communities to prevent further attacks.
Specifically, the Senate recommended the establishment of a military base along the Ikyurav–Ya–Ukusu corridor to ensure a steady security presence in the troubled region.
The chamber further appealed to telecommunications companies to install communication masts in the area to allow residents make distress calls during emergencies.
In addition, the Senate directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief materials and humanitarian support to families affected by the attacks in Kwande and other parts of Benue State.
During the session, senators observed a one-minute silence in honour of those who lost their lives in recent attacks in Abande, Awu, Asinuba, Awapacho and nearby communities.
The resolutions followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Senator Emmanuel Udende over the increasing attacks in communities within Kwande Local Government Area.
While presenting the motion, Udende of senate explained that coordinated attacks by armed assailants in the area had claimed more than 20 lives and forced many residents to flee their homes.
He recalled that on February 5, 2026, gunmen invaded a settlement in the area, killing several residents, injuring others and destroying homes and property.
According to him, about 50 people were reportedly killed during the February attacks, while several others remain missing.
The senator also noted that another wave of violence occurred in March, worsening the humanitarian crisis in the area.
He said that on March 10, gunmen reportedly killed about 11 people in fresh attacks, while an earlier assault on March 5 in Bachor community also led to casualties and property destruction.
Udende further told lawmakers that many bodies recovered after the attacks remain unidentified, with about 25 people still unaccounted for.
He also warned that the arrest and harassment of local vigilantes by security operatives could weaken cooperation between community volunteers and formal security agencies.
According to him, poor road networks, limited communication infrastructure and the absence of permanent security formations continue to delay responses to distress calls in the rural communities.
Seconding the motion, Senator Osita Izunaso described the situation in Benue as a national emergency that requires immediate government intervention.
Also speaking, Senator Ahmed Lawan stressed the need to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture, adding that security agencies must be adequately funded and equipped with the necessary logistics to effectively tackle armed groups.
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