During a recent plenary session, the House of Representatives in Nigeria made a call for urgent action by the government to quell the unrest in Kokona LGA, Nasarawa State, and other parts of the country. The House also called on relevant security agencies to investigate the situation promptly and bring those responsible for the violence to justice.
The call to action was in response to a motion titled “Urgent Need to Investigate the Unrest Between Three Communities in Kokona LGA in Nasarawa State Leading to the Touching of Two Villages and the Death of Over Fourteen Persons,” presented by Hon. Gaza Jonathan Gbefwi. In his presentation, Gbefwi explained that there has been an escalation of violence in Tattara and two other communities in Kokona LGA, resulting in the loss of lives, destruction of properties, and displacement of community members.
The House of Representatives’ call for action highlights the urgent need to address the ongoing security challenges in Nigeria, particularly in areas prone to communal violence. It also underscores the importance of prompt investigations and bringing the perpetrators of such violence to justice to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Gbefwi noted that: “Reports and investigative assessments indicate that the incident is between Mada communities and Fulani Herdsmen.
“The Nigerian government and security agencies have been making frantic efforts to provide lasting solutions to the menace of such incidents in the region and other parts of the country but more work needs to be done in such regard.
“The complains of the Tattara inhabitants who observed that the deadly escapades of the attackers was increasingly unsettling the Western part of Nasarawa state after leaving their unpleasant footprints in the Southern part of the state.
“The local communities have been in a state of unrest as a bloody tribal conflict looms in Kokona LGA after the inhabitants have been left in sorrow, blood and tears by their assailants.
“This Hallowed Chamber has always taken as a matter of national importance, all necessary steps by way of legislative action to ensure the security and safety of Nigerians remain a top priority of the National Assembly.”
After a favorable voice vote by the majority of the members, the House of Representatives adopted the motion, which called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide immediate assistance to those affected by the unrest and the internally displaced persons. Additionally, the House urged the federal government to take a more proactive approach in strengthening security measures in rural areas to prevent future occurrences of violence.