Nigeria’s Senate has expressed mounting concern over the recurring wave of violence claiming innocent lives across the country.
The latest tragedy, which saw about 200 people killed in Yelewata village, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State on the night of Friday, June 13, 2025, has triggered fresh calls for urgent and collective action.
Reacting to the escalating insecurity, lawmakers emphasized that Nigeria is now at a tipping point and that a more grassroots-driven approach involving traditional rulers and community members is urgently needed to restore order.
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Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC, Ekiti South), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, disclosed that President Bola Tinubu’s scheduled visit to Benue State on Wednesday reflects the government’s determination to respond comprehensively to the crisis.
The president’s visit, he explained, aims to provide firsthand insight into the violence-ridden areas and to demonstrate solidarity with the affected communities.
While addressing journalists, Senator Adaramodu remarked: “about the tragic incident in Benue: it was very unfortunate. We sympathize with the victims and families affected. The Senate, in collaboration with the executive, will visit Benue tomorrow with a delegation of Senators to commiserate.”
He continued: “More importantly, we are organizing a national security summit not just for the military, but for CSOs, media, women, youth, and other critical stakeholders because enough is enough. We cannot keep going from Plateau to Benue, paying condolence visits.
“We are tired of mourning. The time has come to act. Security is local, and locals must be part of the solution. With Mr. President’s support, the Senate and the House have appropriated adequate funds to support the military and security agencies. Together with traditional rulers and communities, we must put a stop to this bloodshed.”
Tomorrow’s visit to Benue will signal that the government is serious, both the legislature and the executive. When we hold the national security summit, we hope to uncover hidden problems and find lasting solutions to the killings of innocent Nigerians, not just in Benue or Plateau, but across the country.”
Senator Adaramodu also addressed inquiries about the Senate’s use of voice votes instead of electronic voting in the recent decision to support President Tinubu’s emergency rule declaration in Rivers State.
He clarified that such votes, especially on sensitive matters like national security, are guided by specific rules and procedures.
“About voting to endorse the emergency rule: yes, I’m eager to answer that. But first, when we were electing our presiding officers, the rules hadn’t come into force yet. The rulebooks were only handed over after the presiding officers were elected. That’s why the process for electing presiding officers is different from regular legislative procedures.”
Regarding emergency rule: “there was a communication from Mr. President on June 12 it was read. And we followed procedure. When it comes to sensitive issues like security, our Standing Orders say such matters must be debated in closed-door sessions Rule 131, 132, and 134. Once a decision is reached in a closed session, it cannot be reopened in plenary.
“Everyone is now a lawmaker, a lawyer, a coach, questioning what they don’t know. But the rules are clear. During the closed session, we debated for three to four hours. Once an agreement is reached, it’s final. The presiding officer then comes back to plenary and puts the question: ‘Do we affirm what was agreed in the closed session?’ Everyone said ‘Yes.’ No one said ‘No.’ That’s where it ends.”
The Senate spokesman also addressed criticisms regarding the chamber’s attendance record and recesses. He asserted that the Senate operates in compliance with constitutional requirements and even exceeds minimum sitting days.
“In a legislative year, now let’s say 24 months — how many days are we supposed to sit? In 24 months, how many days have we sat? Some say we go on frequent holidays. But we’re supposed to sit for 181 days out of 365, which is nearly half the year. In the Senate, we sit for more than that. We meet the milestone.
“When you talk of holidays, note this: the Senate is not only for plenary sessions. We also sit on committees, conduct oversight functions. But even in plenary, we ensure we meet our milestones. You can check our register. There are months we don’t have any holidays at all.
“Our holidays fall only during public holidays or statutory legislative breaks. When all those holidays are put together Christmas, Easter, etc, they are not even up to two months or three months. So, if we sit for six months out of the twelve, constitutionally we’ve exceeded our mandate. We do that.”
Providing updates on the Senate’s productivity, Adaramodu noted that within the last 24 months, the chamber reviewed over 800 bills. Out of these, 25 were signed into law, 400 proceeded to second reading, and over 100 are at the harmonization stage with the House of Representatives.
“In the passage process, we now have a joint committee of both chambers. After that, they pray, come together with the aggregators, and then we take the documents back for revisions. Once that’s done, we aggregate. After passage, both chambers now come together to harmonize and write everything into a single document. Then the CNA — which is the Clerk of the National Assembly — will sit on that.
“Only after this process can the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives sign it. Then it is transmitted to the President, who will now assent. You know, it was just about two weeks ago that the two chambers passed the bills. Before the concurrence meeting, before the CNA, and before the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives could give their signatures — it’s not something that takes two or three days.
“At every stage, especially when dealing with the budget, the legal departments of both chambers examine the bill again to check if it conforms to existing laws, to avoid sending something to the Presidency that will come back. Even after passing it to the Presidency, the same careful process applies. So, there’s no problem. It is simply due to the process.
“Now, the bills have been signed by both the Senate President and the Speaker. It has left their hands and is now on the way may be in transmission. Wait, wait. I think we’ve transmitted it. Yes, the bill has now been transmitted. I can confirm that: the bill has now been transmitted to the executive.”
Senator Adaramodu explained that the Senate has often used its investigative powers not to pursue punishment but to provoke institutional reform or draw public attention to critical issues.
“Our rules allow us to suspend proceedings to take up important matters. A motion can be moved and seconded for this purpose. These were probes, yes. But our job is to make resolutions, not to enforce arrests. We don’t have power to put a rope on the neck of an errant officer — we highlight issues and expect action to follow.”
“In the 10th Senate, when we initiate probes, we do so purposefully. For example, there was an issue with a medicine probe — we discovered midway that what we were pursuing had been addressed due to the pressure from the probe. That’s how some probes become inconclusive. Once the desired result is achieved, the committee reports back. Not all outcomes require a dramatic public conclusion.”
Touching on allegations tied to the previous administration, Adaramodu said the Senate had uncovered legacy issues, especially regarding unsustainable debt burdens.
“Some offenses being probed now were committed by the past government. For example, we discovered hidden debts that harmed our economy. But when the current government came, they acknowledged and started fixing them. That’s why we don’t need to carry coal to Newcastle, the problem is being solved. The 30% allocation that was contentious before, we brought it back to 5%. So, there’s no reason to cry foul. No need to dramatise something already being fixed.”
