Benue Assembly seeks judicial panel on police brutality
The Benue State House of Assembly has urged Governor Hyacinth Alia to establish a judicial panel of inquiry into cases of police brutality and extra-judicial killings in the state.
The resolution, taken during Thursday’s plenary presided over by Speaker Alfred Emberga, followed a motion of urgent public importance raised by Douglas Akya, who represents Makurdi South.
Mr Akya told the House that incidents of unlawful killings were on the rise in different parts of Benue, citing the recent killing of a cybercrime suspect, Fanen Kpentemem, allegedly by the police, and the reported shooting of unarmed mourners in Jato Aka by soldiers.
He stressed that Section 33 of the Constitution guarantees the right to life, saying that such acts undermine human dignity and erode trust in security agencies.
Contributing, members condemned the killings and warned that inaction by the authorities could embolden erring officers, weaken public confidence in state institutions, and provoke unrest.
The Assembly also called on the Inspector General of Police to order an immediate investigation into all reported cases of extra-judicial killings in Benue and ensure that culpable officers are brought to justice.
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Separately, lawmakers asked the state government to mobilise the Ministry of Works to grade the Adum road and directed the Ministry of Water Resources and Environment to seek a lasting solution to gully erosion affecting communities in Ogbadibo Local Government Area.
Two bills scaled second reading during the session: one to amend the law establishing the Benue State College of Health Sciences and Technology, Agasha, sponsored by Alias Audu of Gwer East; and another to create state-owned skills acquisition centres across the three senatorial zones, sponsored by Ochekliye of Ohimini.
The information was contained in a statement by Zape Upaa, Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, on Thursday.