A researcher and consultant, Oriri Stephen Edeh has called for the restoration Of peace in Utonkon also known as Ufia in Ado local government area of Benue State following a wave of insecurity in the community.
Edeh in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP said the community once known for its peaceful nature and freedom is now under the shadow of fear due to kidnapping, banditry and other forms of violence threatening peaceful coexistence of the people.
He said, “Gone are the days when residents could venture into their farms without fear, or when children could play freely under the evening sky. Today, the streets are overshadowed by the specter of criminal activities that threaten the very fabric of community life. The recent abduction of 20 medical students en route to a convention, starkly illustrates the perilous environment that has overtaken Utonkon.
He however commended the rescue operation by the Nigerian Military and the Nigerian Police Force for the successful rescue of the students from the clutches of bandits in Ajide forest, and called on the federal government to sustain efforts to avert a reoccurrence.
