A member of the Federal House of Representatives representing Kwande/Ushongu Federal Constituency, Terseer Ugbor, urged President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday to put an end to the violence and perennial killings rocking Benue State.
Ugbor, who made the appeal at a press conference in Abuja, decried that 40 per cent of the arable farmlands in the state have been overrun and are currently under the control of suspected armed herders.
The PUNCH reports that no fewer than 19 people were reportedly killed in a fresh attack on some communities in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State by bandits suspected to be armed herders.
The attack began on Saturday when 16 farmers were killed and their bodies thrown into River Katsina-Ala.
The killing, according to a Kwande indigene who did not want to be mentioned for fear of being killed, involved farmers from the Mbandwa ward.
But Ugbor raised concerns that if a solution is not proffered on time, it could further worsen the problem of food insecurity in Benue and the country as a whole.
According to him, there are several other communities like Agatu, Gwe East, and Gwe West where a series of attacks have been reported consistently for over 10 years without reprieve.
He said, “We have clamoured over the past few years that the international border with Cameroon through Benue State should be properly established. As of now, over 40 per cent of the arable farmlands in Benue State have been taken over by suspected Fulani bandits, and so our farmers are unable to go to their farms.
“Consequently, the production capacity of the state has dropped significantly because of the loss of produce and farmlands in Benue. So this issue is a really dire one for our country, Nigeria, and for the people of Benue State as a whole. It is not just for my constituency alone.
“So I am making a passionate appeal to the federal government and our dear president, Bola Tinubu who is doing very well in terms of reforms, policies and stabilising the country. We need support and more boots on the ground to curb the insecurity that started in Benue years ago and seems to be getting to a level where if not checked, could create a bigger problem.”
