The Senate, yesterday, condemned the recent mass killing of over 200 civilians in Yelewata, a community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, and the massacre of 12 Kaduna indigenes in Mangu Local Government of Plateau State.

The apex legislative Assembly also described the violent and calamitous actions as acts of terrorism, following a motion to address the massacre in Yelewata, brought by Senator Titus Zam under matters of urgent national importance during a highly emotional plenary session.

The aggrieved lawmakers described the attacks, which occurred on June 18 and June 21 as part of a broader, systematic campaign of violence and demanded urgent and comprehensive federal intervention to stop the ongoing bloodshed in the country.

Presenting the motion, Zam, who quoted eyewitness accounts, said the assailants, armed with heavy weapons, launched a coordinated nighttime raid on Yelewata, resulting in extensive destruction, death of more than 200 civilians, many of them, women and children, and the razing of several communities.

He described the attack as deliberate and genocidal, emphasising that these were not isolated incidents or spontaneous clashes but rather planned atrocities targeting vulnerable rural populations.

His sentiments were supported by many of his colleagues, who took turns to express their anger, grief, and concern over the growing pattern of violence in Benue and other parts of the country.

The Senate passed a resolution with several key demands and recommendations including a call on the Federal Government to deploy more military personnel to Benue State, particularly to Yelewata and other known flashpoints, to prevent further attacks and restore security.

The Upper Chamber also demanded a thorough and transparent investigation into the massacre, with the aim of identifying and prosecuting all perpetrators, just as it urged the Federal Government to provide compensation to the victims’ families and begin the reconstruction of properties destroyed during the attack.

The lawmakers agreed to send a delegation to Yelewata as a show of solidarity and to conduct legislative oversight on the humanitarian and security response on the ground, calling for comprehensive reforms in Nigeria’s national security strategy, including the adoption of community-based policing models better suited to protecting vulnerable populations.

The Senate also commended President Bola Tinubu, for his swift and personal response to the tragedy. President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, concluded the session by saying: “What we are witnessing is state failure. And outside this chamber, there is a final judgment before God.” He then led the chamber in a oneminute silence to honour the victims of the Yelewata massacre.