The Senate has passed two amendment bills aimed at clearly defining the host communities of two federal institutions in Bende, Abia State, a move lawmakers say will prevent potential communal disputes over their locations.
Under the amendments, the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences will be officially situated in Bende town, while the Federal College of Education will be located in Item Bende.
The bills, which were transmitted from the House of Representatives for concurrence, seek to remove ambiguities in the establishment laws of both institutions. They include the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Item Bende (Establishment) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Federal College of Education, Bende (Establishment) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
Presenting the bills, Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno said the amendments were necessary to clearly distinguish the institutions' locations and their respective host communities. He noted that both bills had already passed the required legislative processes in the House of Representatives.
Monguno urged senators to support the amendments, stressing that the clarification would help ensure each institution is linked to a clearly defined host community.
Following a second reading, both bills were considered clause by clause by the Committee of the Whole before being passed through a third reading.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the amendments as minor but significant legal corrections capable of preventing misunderstandings and tensions between the affected communities. He commended the House of Representatives for identifying and addressing the ambiguity surrounding the institutions' host communities.
Akpabio also expressed optimism that once signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, the amendments would eliminate potential sources of conflict and strengthen peaceful coexistence in the area. He further praised Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu for sponsoring the legislative initiative.
Both institutions are located within the Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State, and the amendments are intended to establish a clear distinction between their respective host communities.
With Senate approval secured, the bills will now be forwarded to President Tinubu for assent.
