A member of the House of Representatives for the Apa/Agatu federal constituency of Benue State, Ojotu Ojema has cried out over the ordeal of his constituency which he said is under siege by armed herders.
He said the herders are killing and occupying 20 communities in his constituency, which they successfully sacked and occupied, and are using them as staging posts to attack more communities.
The lawmaker, who was addressing journalists over the development, lamented that all efforts he had made had failed even as he called on the Nigerian military to embark on clearance operations against the armed herders.
Armed attackers bearing the mark of Fulani bandits have always attacked communities in Benue State, displacing many who are now camped at the internally displaced persons (IDP) tents
NewsNGR reports that armed men suspected to be Fulani bandits have frequently attacked the Egwuma community in Agatu with the latest reports saying another invasion from the bandits claimed six lives including the deaths of two soldiers.
The lawmaker said, “Since I entered the national assembly as a representative of my people, I have visited Agatu more than 25 times and all of these bothers on coming to console people that have been attacked by suspected herders.
“I remember vividly when I was just two months in office, there was an attack in Ayila I needed to put myself together to identify with the people.
“I moved a motion on the floor of the house and not too long after, there was another attack in that same place, five security men were killed and I came again, saw it myself and I still went back to the house, moved a motion to that effect,” he said.
He lamented “As I speak with you, just Tuesday, exactly October 1, while people were celebrating and others were thinking on how to celebrate the independence, another attack happened in Egwuma community where six persons were killed, including the community leader and two soldiers.
“These soldiers were particularly mobilized to that community because of incessant attacks on that same community.
“As I speak with you, over 20 communities in that area have been sacked. The place has been turned into a forest.
“I came to 72 Battalion North Bank in Makurdi and I told them that there was a need for soldiers to be permanently stationed in that area and they did.
“Over 50 soldiers were taken to the area and on that fateful day, armed herders appeared from nowhere, killed so many people in that community and thereafter they descended on the soldiers.
“The situation is worrisome. The most worrisome aspect of it is that these people sacked our people and decided to live in the community with their cattle, do their normal business, and then look for the next community to attack”, Ojema lamented.
He further maintained that there was a need for the security agencies to urgently step up their efforts “because considering the capacity and volume of the level of professionalism the Nigeria security is known for, I can’t believe that there is anybody with capacity to challenge them or overpower them.
“So, what they need to do is to step up their work by engaging in clearance operations. If they cannot go by road, they can go by air because these people cannot overrun the security of this country,” he stated.