Northern Senators Back President’s Military Expansion After Benue, Kaduna Killings

The Northern Senators Forum (NSF) has endorsed President Bola Tinubu's initiative to expand the Nigerian Army, approving the creation of four new divisions and the recruitment of 28,000 personnel. The senators view this expansion as a crucial and timely measure to address Nigeria's deteriorating security situation, particularly in the wake of recent deadly attacks in Benue and Kaduna states.

The forum strongly condemned the violence in both states, which resulted in over 40 fatalities, including women and children, and displaced numerous families. They urged the federal government to swiftly apprehend and prosecute those responsible for the attacks. Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, Chairman of the NSF, expressed deep concern over the persistent wave of violence and offered condolences to the affected states and victims' families.

Recent incidents highlighted the severity of the crisis. On July 28, an early morning attack on Efeyi Community in Benue State's Otukpo Local Government Area claimed at least 13 lives, with several others injured before security forces intervened. Separately, on July 26, an assault on Naridon Village in Kaduna State's Kauru Local Government Area resulted in the deaths of approximately 30 people, including women and children, and destroyed several homes.

The senators described these attacks as tragic and unacceptable, emphasizing that citizens should not live under constant threat. They commended the government's renewed commitment to tackling insecurity through the army's expansion. The addition of four divisions, increasing the total from eight to 12, along with new recruits, is expected to significantly enhance Nigeria's security framework if implemented effectively. This initiative aims to decentralize military command, bolster border security, and improve response times to emerging threats nationwide.

However, the NSF cautioned that increasing troop numbers alone is insufficient. They stressed the importance of adequate funding, modern equipment, efficient logistics, and improved welfare for military personnel to maximize the effectiveness of the expansion. The forum urged the government to ensure these newly approved military formations are fully equipped and supported.

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The initiative is expected to decentralise military command, strengthen border security and enhance the capacity of security forces to respond rapidly to emerging threats across the country.