Peter Ochohepo
June 10, 2021
The Honourable Member representing Apa/Agatu Federal Constituency of Benue State, Hon. Samuel Odagboyi Godday earlier today presented a motion of urgent important on the floor of the House of Representatives urging the House to as a matter of urgency, intervene in the current security challenges facing his constituency.
Accordingly, the House passed resolutions based on the prayers therein directing the Inspector General of Police to establish a MOPOL base in Agatu Local Government Area as well the Nigerian Army to increase the number of soldiers on routine patrols and emergency response teams.
The House amongst other resolutions further directed the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to provide relief materials for Internally Displaced Persons taking refuge in other neighboring communities due to these unfortunate incidents.
The motion reads in part;
10th JUNE, 2021
NOTICE OF MOTION
MOTION OF URGENT NATIONAL IMPORTANCE ON THE RECENT KILLINGS IN SOME COMMUNITIES OF APA / AGATU FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY OF BENUE STATE LEADING TO LOSS OF LIVES AND DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTIES.
The House:
Notes that the night hours of Sunday, the 7th of June, 2021 was a moment of unprecedented loss of lives and properties for the peole of Odugbeho Community of Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State as gun men suspected to be herdsmen invaded Odugbeho town, killing over 30 persons, with many others sustaining severe degrees of injuries as well as the destruction of properties worth hundreds of millions o fNaira.
Aware that the reports from the affecred community put the number of deaths to over (30) persons in this unfortunate attack have been mass-buried already, leaving the entire Agatu nation in deep sorrow and mourning, several other injured persons have been hospitalized while thousands for fear of further attacks fled for their lives are taking refuge in neighboring communities including my home town, Ogbaulu in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.
Further awared that, aside these killings, valuable buildings and other properties worth hundreds of millions of Naira were destroyed by the gun men in the course of the attack, rendering thousands of residents homeless as we speak.
Wortied that the Odugbeho community is not the only victim of this form of attacks in recent times; Ikobi and Odugbo communities in Apa Local Government Areas have been under series of attacks by these herders within the last three months, leading to the loss of several innocent lives as well as destruction of houses and other valuable properties. Residents of Ikobi and Odugbo have been rendered homeless and taking refuge in neighboring towns.
Further aware that the people of Apa/Agatu Federal Constituency whom I represent are predominantly farmers, rendering them homeless and chasing them from their ancestral lands poses a serious threat to their survival both now and in the coming months of harvest as they are no longer able to access their farms in this planting season due to the incessant attacks.
House Resolves to:
Urge the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant Agency to as a matter of urgency, supply food,relief materials to the affected communities (Odugbeho, Odugbo and Ikobi) in Apa/Agatu Federal Constituency of Benue State.
Urge the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development through the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons to urgently visit the IDPs and supply them with immediate and long-term relief materials as well as attend to the needs of those currently injured and hospitalized as a result of these attacks.
Urge the Inspector General of Police to establish Mobile Police base within the constituency to provide
for adequate security presence, particularly in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State which has been a terrorized zone by external invaders in the last decade. This MOPOL base will not only serve the constituency but other parts of neighboring Nasarawa State where Kidnappers have recently pitched their tent against innocent Nigerians plying the Abuja-Oweto route connecting the Northern and Southern Nigeria.
Urge the Nigerian Army to establish more security posts and also increase the number of soldiers deployed to Apa and Agatu Local Government Areas in order to assist in rapid responses during emergencies until these attacks and invasions are curtailed.
Urge the Federal Government as a matter of urgency, to critically analyze the prevailing challenges of herders’ attack in Nigeria and proffer lasting solutions in the interest of all affected parties as fast as possible, considering the negative impact of this unfortunate development on our National survival.
Urge the House to observe a minute silence for all the innocent Nigerians murdered in my federal constituency in the three months.