Nigerian Senate has unanimously asked the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali to, with immediate effect, withdraw his statement that Benue, Taraba and other states with anti-grazing laws should jettison such legislation.

The upper chamber argued that the law was enacted under the law of the Benue State House of Assembly.

The resolution followed a motion raised by a lawmaker representing Benue South, Senator Barnabas Gemade, who lamented during the Wednesday plenary that 7 people were killed alongside many who were wounded and several homes burnt in his Senatorial District.

He appealed to his colleagues that the defence minister should withdraw the statement credited to him because the killings started before the enactment of the law.

The presiding officer, Bukola Saraki put the motion to a voice vote and the nays unanimously endorsed it.

Contributing to the motion, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha who represents Taraba South, said: “Yesterday 5 people in my constituency were killed on their way to the farm. It is inhumane and terrible for the Minister of Defense to consider these killings as a result of the enactment of the anti-grazing law.”

The lawmakers also held a one minute's silence for those killed in recent clashes in Benue and other states.

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