The Senate has classified the Onyagede–Ogobia Road as a national security priority and called on the Federal Government to immediately begin its rehabilitation and reconstruction to improve safety and restore access to communities along the route.
The decision followed the adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Works, which described the road as a vital transport link with significant economic and security importance to several states.
According to the committee, the road’s poor condition has worsened security challenges in the area. Lawmakers referenced the June 26, 2026, killing of Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Ardo Risku Muhammad, and his associate, Yakubu Isah, who were attacked by gunmen near Okudu village on the Onyagede–Otukpo road while returning from a peace and security meeting in Ohimini Local Government Area.
The Senate urged the Federal Government to commence emergency repairs immediately and ensure the road’s full reconstruction through adequate funding and relevant infrastructure programmes.
Lawmakers also recommended that the project include effective drainage systems and erosion control measures to reduce flooding, protect the road from further damage, and lower future maintenance costs.
In addition, the Senate appealed to the Federal Government to rehabilitate at least two key feeder roads in each of Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to improve transportation, encourage economic growth, and promote balanced infrastructure development across the country.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio praised the committee’s recommendations, noting that better road infrastructure would improve the movement of people and goods, support agricultural activities, and strengthen national security by making vulnerable communities more accessible.
He directed that the Senate’s resolutions be forwarded to the Minister of Works, as well as the chairmen of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Appropriations, to support increased funding for the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).
During the debate, Senator Adams Oshiomhole also highlighted the poor condition of major federal highways connecting Benin City with Asaba, Auchi, and Okene. He described the roads as important economic routes requiring urgent intervention and called for a more balanced distribution of road projects and funding to improve connectivity and commerce.
