THE House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions has summoned Governors Hyacinth Alia of Benue State and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, along with their respective state assemblies, to appear before the committee on Thursday, May 8.
The summons follow concerns over escalating insecurity in both states, which prompted a petition to the House by the civil rights group, Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law.
The governors and legislative bodies have been called to explain why their constitutional functions should not be assumed by the House of Representatives due to the escalating security challenges.
This notice was issued in a statement on Friday by Chooks Oko, Head of Media for the House Committee on Public Petitions.
Oko explained that the summons is in response to the petition filed by Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law, urging the House to take over the functions of the two state Assemblies.
The summons, signed by Committee Chairman Mike Etaba, emphasised that the invited parties are already familiar with the details of the case.
“Ours is to ensure that the rule of law is upheld at all times. The parties have a wonderful opportunity to state their cases clearly so that Nigerians can know what is going on. Anarchy would never be given any space in our polity,” Oko added.
Benue and Zamfara are facing security crises which include escalating attacks by armed groups, displacement of thousands of residents, and an overwhelming loss of life.
In Benue, the state has been plagued by persistent clashes between farmers and herders, with criminal elements such as armed herders engaging in violent attacks across rural communities. This has led to the death of over 3,000 people in 2024 alone, with notable incidents like the mass killing in Adoka and Agatu, which have worsened the humanitarian situation.
Despite promises from the state governor to return displaced persons, insecurity remains rampant, leading to a petition for federal intervention.
Similarly, Zamfara has witnessed an alarming rise in bandit attacks. The state’s vast forests have become a haven for bandit groups who routinely raid villages, kill civilians, and abduct individuals for ransom.
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.