Hon. Blessing Onuh, the lawmaker representing Otukpo-Ohimini Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, has decried the escalating insecurity in her constituency, calling for urgent intervention from the federal government.
Speaking with journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, the two-term legislator described the frequent attacks and killings in Otukpo, Benue State, as a national emergency requiring immediate action.
She urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct security agencies to intensify efforts to apprehend the perpetrators, bring them to justice, and restore peace in the affected communities.
“The killings in my constituency have reached an outrageous level in recent weeks. Every day, we witness the senseless murder of innocent people, and tragically, it is beginning to feel normal,” Onuh lamented.
She expressed frustration over the perceived inaction of security agencies, noting that after each attack, officials at both the state and local levels merely issue statements claiming they are “on top of the matter,” with no tangible results.
“I wonder why people are being killed and kidnapped repeatedly, yet nothing happens to the perpetrators. Families mourn their dead, return home, and brace for the next attack by suspected herdsmen,” she added.
Onuh provided chilling accounts of recent incidents, revealing that just a day prior, a retired customs officer, Mr. Onche Akatu, was brutally murdered in Asa 2 community, Otukpo Local Government Area, and two members of his family were abducted.
“The most painful part is that two members of his family were kidnapped after his gruesome murder. Should the dead man now rise to pay ransom for their release? My heart bleeds,” she lamented.
She also recalled the murder of Mrs. Felicia Ochigbo, a nursing mother who was slaughtered in the Old NTA Area of Asa community, and the recent killing of another resident, an Igbo man.
“Last month, in Okpomoju Community, Okete Ward of Otukpo Local Government Area, suspected herdsmen killed five men, leaving the community in mourning. According to residents, these attackers are even making threatening phone calls. Right now, people are fleeing their homes without knowing if the places they are running to are any safer,” Onuh stated.
She further warned that the continued attacks have forced many farmers to abandon their farmlands, exacerbating food shortages in the region.
Appealing to the youth in her constituency, Onuh cautioned against jungle justice and reprisal attacks, emphasizing that taking the law into their own hands would only escalate the crisis.
She reassured her constituents of her commitment to working with political leaders and security agencies to put an end to the violence.
“I will engage with political stakeholders and security heads to ensure these atrocities stop. Our people deserve to live in peace,” she pledged.
