2nd June, 2021
By Nimot Sulaimon
Senator Abba Moro representing Benue South District, has called on security agencies in the country to intervene in the killings of natives by suspected herdsmen in four communities in Benue.
The lawmaker made the plea during plenary on Wednesday after raising a point of order to draw the attention of the upper chamber to recent killings in the Ado Local Government Area.
Coming under Order 43 of the Senate Rules, Senator Moro bemoaned what he described as “a violent rising wave of Fulani Herdsmen attacks in the Benue South Senatorial District of Benue State”.
According to him, “the menace has spread like wildfire which poses a great threat to the continued peaceful existence of Communities in Benue South Region.
“Notes further with grave pain that, on 30th May 2021, Odokem, Ataloga, Ndigwe and Nduobasi Communities of Ado Local Government Area in Benue South Senatorial District were invaded by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
”They were heavily armed and over 100 natives were gruesomely murdered with several victims lying critically ill in different places of treatment.
“Sadly note again that, there have been recurring terror attacks on farmers and natives of the Benue South Senatorial District over the years by these herders,
”Their attacks have been perpetually carried out with impunity with no suspect arrested by relevant agencies or operatives for proper action.
“One of such attacks again occurred in Odoke and Ezza/Effium Communities of same Ado Local Government Area which resulted in people fleeing their homes to neighbouring communities.
”Consequently, it led to the establishment of Internally Displaced Persons’ Camps at Igumale and Apa-Ugogzu of the Senatorial District in fear of further attacks.
“Worried that as at the time being, no cogent intervention or panacea to tackling this ugly thread of Fulani Herdsmen attacks on Benue South Constituents has come out from any quarter at any level whatsoever.
Accordingly, Senator Moro urged the National Emergency Management Agency to quickly mobilize resources and rehabilitation materials to victims of the attack and those in the IDP Camps to ameliorate and cushion the effects of the crisis on the people.
Furthermore, he urged the Ministry of Defense and relevant Security agencies to mobilize focal persons to the affected areas to patrol until peace and calmness return to the area.
Thereafter, the Senate held a minute silence to honour the victims of recent attacks.