[JUST IN] Insecurity: Incessant Herdsmen Attacks In Benue Producing More Orphans, Rep Member Alleges

…Wants Tinubu To Intervene Urgently

…Claims Conspiracy of Land Grabbing by Herders

ABUJA – A member of the House of Representatives, Terseer Ugbor has decried the level of killing of Benue citizens, through attacks orchestrated by herdsmen, alleging that many children were being made orphans on daily basis.

Buttressing his claims, using the recent alleged onslaught on the people by the herdsmen, Ugbor, who represents Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency of Benue State in the House of Representatives, said between December 25, 2024, till the end of the year, the herders had a field day maiming the people and destroying the property of his constituents.

He also alleged that there is a growing conspiracy of promoting land grabbing through similar attacks, adding that over 40 percent of land in Benue State and thousands of people have been displaced from their ancestral homes.

Hon. Ugbor however called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene, especially to direct security agencies to halt the development before his constituents are completely wiped out from their ancestral homes.

At a media chat in Abuja, on Tuesday, the federal lawmaker alleged that over 13 persons were slaughtered by the herdsmen on Monday, saying” their menace is producing more orphans in the State”

His words, “As you may be aware, just recently we had over the 2024 Christmas season, we had an attack where the bandit Fulani herdsmen in Kwande Local Government, which is a border community with Cameroon and this attack took place between December 25 all through to the new year.

“It got so bad that the bandits had the audacity to attack an immigration outpost in that community and burnt down this outpost, which was the only standing security presence that we had in that border community with Cameroon. This immigration outpost did not necessarily have equipment or arms to defend itself. It was more of an intelligence gathering output, but at least it provided a semblance of security presence in the place.

“In the course of that attack, the bandits took a detour, which took them into the Cameroonian territory, and the Cameroonian Gendarmes attacked them and killed so many of them. This thing became headline news in Cameroon, where they mentioned that the Nigerian Fulani bandits are killing and attacking the Cameroon military.

“So, this is something that has a very important international dimension that could become a crisis beyond our control and understanding, if we don’t take notes. And then recently, just yesterday (Monday), to be precise, there was another killing that took place by the same Fulani bandits, which are suspected to be based and camped around the Kashmibila area.

“From the last count, we heard that about 13 persons have been killed, and their bodies have been recovered. The Kashimbila area is where we have the Kashimbila power plant, the dam located. And also an airport that has also just recently been commissioned there.

“Of course, there’s a university being built, and other national infrastructure coming up around that axis. And of course, with this international border, you will also be aware that the community in Turan in Kwande local government also has a United Nations refugee camp where the refugees from Cameroon, who are running away from the Ambazonian fighters, have been lodged for protection by the United Nations.

“So, this thing has a lot of dimensions to it that, if not checked, will become a major crisis point for our country, Nigeria, especially that region has also been recently found to have natural resources like gold, lithium and other precious stones. So there’s a lot of illegal mining going on in that region”.

Recall that the Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia recently launched the Benue State Civil Protection Guards (BSCPG) a 5,000-personnel security outfit, as well as a State Joint Task force (SJTF) code named “ANYAM NYOR”, comprising all the security apparatuses in the state, aimed at enhancing the safety of lives and property in the state.

When translated properly, Anyam Nyôr simply means “The Lion is Here”.

The establishment of ‘Anyam Nyôr’ Alia said is a strategic and critical response to the persistent security issues in Benue State, including communal clashes, banditry, killer herdsmen invasions, and other forms of criminality. By deploying 5,000 well-trained personnel, the BSCPG aims to complement existing security agencies, providing a robust framework for maintaining peace and order.