The Nigerian Senate convened on Wednesday (May 15) and unanimously passed a resolution calling upon the inspector-general of police, the chief of army staff, and the director-general of the Department of State Services to launch a thorough investigation, apprehend, and prosecute the criminal elements wreaking havoc in the Uzo-Uwani local government area of Enugu State.
The motion was introduced by Senator Okey Ezea, representing Enugu North district, who passionately addressed the Senate regarding the ongoing violence in Uzo-Uwani. Senator Ezea highlighted the recent tragic events in the Nimbo community, where four individuals were brutally murdered and several others injured. He urged his colleagues to denounce these heinous acts and called for decisive action to be taken by law enforcement to capture the perpetrators.
Following deliberations on the motion, the Senate reached the following resolutions:
- Task the Inspector General of Police, the Chief of Army Staff, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services to initiate investigations, arrests, and prosecutions of those responsible for terrorizing the local government.
- Call upon the Inspector General of Police and the Chief of Army Staff to promptly establish police and military presence in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area to effectively halt the ongoing violence.
- Assign the Senate committees on Legislative Compliance, Police Affairs, and National Security and Intelligence to ensure the implementation of these resolutions and to propose sustainable solutions.
- Appeal to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to expedite the provision of relief materials to the victims of the Uzo-Uwani attacks, mitigating the impact of these senseless assaults.
The recurring violence in both Adani and Nimbo communities perpetrated by marauding herdsmen has plunged the residents into mourning and anxiety. The initial major attack on the LGA occurred on April 25, 2016, when 46 individuals were killed in Nimbo. Despite assurances from both state and federal governments to address the situation, the violence and abductions persist.
The escalating tension within the local government area has raised concerns, particularly regarding the significant contributions of Uzo-Uwani to the nation’s food supply. Continued violence threatens to exacerbate food insecurity, prompting fears of mass migration from affected communities to urban areas, further fueling the rural-urban migration trend in the country.
