…as community members demand justice, exit of herders
Benue State Deputy Governor, Dr. Sam Ode, has urged security agencies to establish a forward operation base, FOB in Otukpo-Nobi community to check the spate of attacks that claimed several lives on Sunday.
Dr. Ode made the demand on Monday during an on-the-spot assessment visit to the community with heads of security agencies in the state. The area came under attack by suspected herdsmen militia in the early hours of Sunday.
The Deputy Governor appealed to residents to remain calm and refrain from taking the law into their own hands. He said it was no longer enough to commiserate with communities after attacks, stressing the need for a proactive security architecture that prevents violence and ensures swift arrest of perpetrators.
“Instead of us continually mourning and consoling communities over incessant attacks, it is now necessary for the military and police to beef up security and design an architecture that is both preventive and punitive,” Ode said.
He assured that the administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia is working round the clock to secure every part of the state and protect lives and property. The Deputy Governor also commiserated with the people of Otukpo-Nobi and the entire Benue South Senatorial District over the killings, and pledged that those responsible would be tracked down and prosecuted.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 4, AIG Moses Dankombo, backed the call for an operational base. He disclosed that tactical squads and other police units have already been deployed to the area to restore normalcy and apprehend those behind the attacks.
AIG Dankombo urged residents to remain patient and cooperate with security forces as investigations and operations continue.
Member representing Otukpo/Ohimini Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mrs. Blessing Onuh, said she had earlier raised an alarm on the floor of the National Assembly about a possible attack in the area. She described the incident as unfortunate and promised to push the Federal Government to establish a forward operation base in the community.
Community Leader, Chief James Okoh, and Youth Leader, Simon Ikwulono, told the Deputy Governor that they had Intel about the strange movement of the herders and informed security personnel who said they had combed the area and found no Fulani settlement within the community. They urged government to ensure herders vacate the area so that residents can return to their farms, and demanded justice for the victims.
As part of immediate relief, Dr. Ode, on behalf of the state government, presented cash assistance for the treatment of the injured and the burial of those killed, as well as relief materials to help affected families cushion the impact of the attack.
