He said the security agencies deployed in the region had failed to respond promptly to distress calls despite being stationed near the affected villages.
A member of the Benue State House of Assembly, Abu Umoru, has accused security operatives of repeatedly arriving too late to prevent attacks by armed herdsmen in his constituency, leaving communities defenceless and grieving.
Umoru, who represents Apa constituency, spoke during an interview on Channels TV following a recent deadly attack in his area that claimed at least six lives.
He said the security agencies deployed in the region had failed to respond promptly to distress calls despite being stationed near the affected villages.
He expressed frustration at the helplessness of the people, adding that the persistent violence had continued despite the existence of an anti-open grazing law in the state.
“Benue Killings: The security officers are always arriving at the scene when the perpetrators are done with their act. It took the officers stationed close to the scene of the attack over two hours to come after the herdsmen left.”
“Well, the security is always arriving the same way that the headers have done, and which has no impact on our people any longer.”
“Because when we cry for help, nobody is there. I can tell you, we have some communities who are not far from this place that this attack happened on Sunday.”
“And they were not there. It took them over two hours after the people that perpetrated the act had left the community.”
“So when they arrive, there is nothing they will come to do.”
“They have done what they want to do, and they have left the community. And this is not the first time it happened in our country, in our local government, about six people were lost.”
“Kidnapping on the farm, on the road, raping of our mothers and our sisters. It's all going every day as I speak to you.”
“So we are helpless. And this is a state that will have anti-grazing law, anti-open grazing law. And we don't know what is happening. I can tell you, my community is helpless.”
“My constituency is helpless. Every now and then you receive a call from them, what are you doing? What are you doing to protect them?”
“Mine is to make law. And the executive is to implement. I'm coming to the House of Assembly for the second time. And when I came, we had this law, an anti-open grazing law, which has not been enforced.”