Violent Killings in Benue Have Reached Outrageous Level – Rep

Blessing Onuh (APC-Benue) has decried the spate of killings, kidnapping, and wanton destruction of farmlands by criminals in her constituency and other parts of the state.

Ms Onuh, representing Otukpo–Ohimini federal constituency of the state, said this in an interview with newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.

Ms Onuh, who expressed her frustration over the unprovoked attacks and loss of lives and property in the state, said that her many motions on the security situation in the state had not yielded any positive outcome.

She described the situation as a national emergency that demanded urgent federal intervention.

“I am really pained and frustrated; how can I continue to move motions on insecurity without a sustained response?

“Yes, sometimes when I cry out, the security agencies will respond, but as soon as they retreat, my people are attacked and gruesomely killed. A significant part of my resources goes into medical bills and funeral expenses of victims of the attacks, and these attacks are worsening by the day,” she said.

The lawmaker, who narrated the sequence of recent attacks in her constituency, called on the security agencies to intensify efforts towards addressing the menace.

She disclosed that the criminals usually operate from Otukpo town into the hinterlands and other surrounding communities.

Ms Onuh appealed to President Bola Tinubu to direct the current service chiefs and other heads of security agencies to intensify efforts in apprehending the perpetrators and restore peace to the affected areas.

“The killings in my constituency have reached an outrageous level. We witness senseless murder of innocent people on a daily basis, and tragically, it is beginning to feel as though it is normal,” she said.

The lawmaker, who also said that the persistent killings had forced farmers to abandon their farmlands, said that the trend would pose a serious food shortage.

Ms Onuh, who advised the youths in the affected communities to shun reprisal, however, assured her constituents of continued engagement with political leaders and security agencies towards bringing lasting peace to the constituency.

(NAN)