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From Scholastica Hir
The Benue state house of Assembly has condemned in strong terms the continuous attacks by marauding armed herdsmen on the farming communities in Guma Local Government Area, (LGA), of the state.
The Assembly has, therefore, called on the security agencies to show more presence in the area to forestall further attacks.
The house made the call during its plenary on Thursday following a motion of urgent public importance moved by member representing Guma state constituency, Dr. Yanmar Ortese.
Ortese in his motion, drew attention of the house to the fact that more than one decade, many communities in Benue state have suffered violent attacks by marauding armed herdsmen and Guma LG has received more than a fair share of the attacks.
He recalled that on Tuesday May 23rd 2023, Benue state recorded not less than 22 deaths in herdsmen assault on Iyer village in Uvir council ward of Guma LGA saying that the attacks came barely 10 days after same armed herdsmen attacked Mbawa council ward in Guma LGA killing 28 people including women and children.
He further condemned that lask week’s Saturday August 12 and Sunday August 13 2023, attacks in Ngban, Yogbo, Tse-Abo, Tse-Ukohol, Hiinyam and Tse-Hagher communities in Guma LG which resulted in casualties leading to the barricade of the Makurdi/Lafia on Friday for several hours by members of the community in protest of the killings.
Ortese who described the killings, deaths, sorrows, pains, tears, blood letting, truama, devastation as sad and immeasurable called on the Benue state government to use its security ingenuity to stop the incessant attacks in the area.
In their separate contributions, member representing Makurdi South, Douglas Akya and that of his Makurdi North counterpart, Alfred Aondoaver, all supported Ortese’s motion saying urgent steps must be taken to put an end to the incessant attacks on innocent Benue farmers who have become refugees in their own land.
In his ruling, Speaker, Aondona Dajoh sympathized with the lawmakers and appealed to President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to direct security formations in the country to station a joint security post in the affected areas to guarantee safety of the people.
The House house also called on the Benue state government to revisit the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law and ensure its full implementation to return normalcy to the affected communities.
They also appealed to Governor Alia to provide direct assistance to the communities and the victim’s families by making funds available to enable them bury those killed.
The House during the plenary, also confirmed the 17 commissioner nominees screened last week.
