Senator Seriake Dickson, who represents Bayelsa West in the National Assembly, has extended his heartfelt condolences to the Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, and to officials of the Plateau State Government over the recent gruesome attacks and killings in both states.
Speaking on behalf of his family, constituents, and well-meaning Nigerians, Senator Dickson decried the brutal massacres, describing them as “dastardly and callous.”
He expressed concern over the persistent violence plaguing Benue, Plateau, Zamfara, Southern Kaduna, and several other states, noting that these regions have borne the brunt of lawlessness and criminal attacks with increasing frequency and severity.
Condemning the recurring attacks on innocent lives, Dickson compared the current state of banditry and mass killings across various states to the Boko Haram insurgency that ravaged the North-East.
“Communities are being terrorized, ransacked, and subjected to mass murders, while banditry and kidnappings spread unchecked across the country,” he said. “We are approaching a tipping point, and urgent, decisive action is required.”
He called on the nation’s leadership and security chiefs to engage in a frank, strategic conversation and implement swift, effective measures to address the worsening security situation.
Dickson pointed to a range of underlying issues—including competition over land and resources, illegal mining, displacement of indigenous populations, and climate-related conflicts, as contributing factors.
He also stressed that while some violence stems from criminality, others are rooted in long-standing farmer-herder clashes.
“The time has come to treat this as a national emergency that transcends ethnic, religious, and political lines,” he emphasized.
Highlighting a motion he supported in the Senate, Dickson reiterated his call for the implementation of mandatory ranching and a national policy to prohibit open grazing.
He advocated leveraging the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture, Finance, and the Central Bank of Nigeria to fund and enforce sustainable livestock and agribusiness practices.
He further proposed that security agencies and community leaders be empowered to work collaboratively to rid rural areas and forests of criminals and enforce the nationwide grazing ban.
“This is a matter of national survival,” Dickson said. “We cannot accept a situation where citizens are attacked and killed without consequences. Such impunity signals state failure.”
He concluded by stating his intention to escalate these concerns to the appropriate authorities in the coming days.
