Benue killings: Senate demands deployment of military, Police personnel

The Senate has called for immediate deployment of boots on the ground by the Chief of Army Staff and the Inspector-General of Police in Benue communities to quell escalating attacks by bandits claiming lives in Akpachi-Ugboju, Otukpo-Nobi and Ondo Ugboju, all in Otukpo Local Government Area of the state.

At least 20 people were killed in coordinated attacks between Friday last week and Tuesday this week, according to a motion of urgent national importance moved by Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, on Wednesday.

The Senate, while “condemning” the attacks on the defenceless communities, called on heads of security agencies, particularly the army and the police, to deploy their men to restore normalcy, in addition to prosecuting the perpetrators.

“The Senate urge the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and other security agencies to immediately deploy a heavy security presence in Akpachi-Ugboju, Otukpo-Nobi and Ondo Ugboju, and surrounding communities to restore normalcy, protect lives and prevent further attacks.”

Commenting on the incidents, Senator Moro said the killings in Benue must end as the people were being pushed to seek self-help.

“We are not lazy or idle people, If no action is taken on the part of the government, I can assure you that we will rise to the occasion”, Moro, who represents Benue-South Senatorial District, warned.

He said the excuse of killers hiding under reprisal attacks was not tenable, as Benue victims of killings by armed herders over the years did not carry out any reprisals against their killers.

Moro argued that every criminal activity must be isolated and treated as a crime by the relevant authorities instead of non-state actors taking the law into their own hands by killing innocent people.

Worse still, the senator recalled that intelligence about the attacks was passed seven days prior to the invasion but expressed surprise that neither the state government nor the police command could take any countermeasures.

He faulted the donation of N5million to some of the survivors of the attacks by Governor Hyacinth Alia, describing it as “insulting.”

He said, “The people told him they were not interested in the money. They are concerned about their protection.

“If it is about paying hospital bills, then the governor should put himself and his family in harm’s way so that they can be attacked, and I will personally pay the hospital bills. That is how serious the security situation has become.”

The Senator lamented that residents could no longer sleep in their homes, go to their farms or engage in legitimate businesses because of persistent attacks by armed groups.

Moro recalled the recent abduction of mourners conveying the corpse of a retired Deputy Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps to Benue for burial, saying the incident underscored the worsening insecurity in the state.

He said the Senate leadership had resolved to meet President Bola Tinubu to convey the concerns of Nigerians over the deteriorating security situation, stressing that some government officials often fail to present the true situation to the President.

“Unfortunately, up till this moment, we have not met with Mr President, while the agony and trauma of people being attacked and killed continue unabated. The situation has reached an intolerable level that is no longer acceptable”, he added.