Flush Out Bandits For Benue Farmers Return To Farmlands, Reps Tell Federal Govt

House of Representatives has urged the federal government to direct the Joint Security Task Force stationed in Benue to initiate a full coordinated security operations to flush out the bandits in the state to allow the farmers to return to their farmlands for adequate food production.

The House equally asked the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), to send relief materials to assuage the sufferings of the affected communities, who have been unable to access their farmlands as they are now in IDP camps in Agagbe, Naka, Makurdi, Gbajimba, amongst others in the state.

These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion on “Need to Address Incessant Banditry Attacks in Gwer West, Makurdi and Guma Local Government Areas of Benue State,” moved by Hons. Austine Asema Achado and Dickson Tarkighir (APC, Benue) at Wednesday’s plenary.

Moving the motion, Hon. Achado said: “the recent occupation by a large number of bandits at the boundary villages of Benue State with Nasarawa State, resulting in wanton killings, kidnapping and harassment of farmers and the rural communities of Gwer West, Makurdi and Guma local government areas and other communities in Benue State.

“Saddened that so many innocent and valuable lives have been wasted in the boundaries of Benue State with Nasarawa State, the most recent being the killing on 4th July 2023 of Tersoo Magah, a graduate of ABU Zaria by herdsmen in Mbabai ward, while on the 20th June 2023, Nyitwev Ushir and lorgerem Ushir were killed in Nzorov ward; and on 25th June 2023 Joseph Torjeem of Tse Der, Nyiev was killed by the bandits.”