Pastor Ojotu Ojema, a member of the House of Representatives for Benue State’s Apa/Agatu federal district, has urged the Nigerian military to launch clearance operations against armed herders who are endangering community peace in Benue State’s Agatu Local Government Area.
He stated that the armed herders were now dominating 20 settlements in the region after displacing indigenous.
Ojema revealed this over the weekend when speaking with the media in Makurdi.
Recall that suspected Fulani bandits recently raided the Egwuma hamlet in Agatu, killing two troops and six people.
The lawmaker complained that armed herders’ actions had risen over time in numerous villages in the Agatu area of the state, resulting in the sacking of over 20 communities and the loss of life.
Ojema remarked that the Nigerian Military needed to increase its capability and take a proactive approach to address the crisis.
He bemoaned that the Apa/Agatu axis of Benue State remained Nigeria’s most abandoned and maltreated local government region due to the high degree of insecurity.
According to Ojema:
“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 which I needed to put myself together to identify with the people.
“I moved a motion in the floor of the house and not too long, 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.
“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 stated.
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cc: Daily Post Ng
