Food security under attack in Benue: Government must act now
There is urgent need for immediate security measures to halt attacks on sedentary farmers in Benue State, Nigeria’s Food Basket State. This is because food security is under serious threat.
Investigation shows that after a period of relative peace, which dates back to March last year, the influx of cattle in Benue State and increasing wave of banditry, have placed the question of food security under threat, as local farmers are forced to be leaving their homes in droves because of fear of terrorists, some of who acts as herdsmen.
Only last week scores of locals were killed as a result of these activities. Though not independent verified by Nigerian NewsDirect, Peter Tion; Nyityo Kyoon; Iorfa Ukombor; Doopinen Awua; Tyoshaa Mkaanem; Asan Ate; Asough Ate; Terzungwe Asoo Ate; MWO Mbatsavbun Gbatar (rtd); John Ndahagh Tyohemba; Tertsea Ukombor; Akuma Kpenge; Abume Kpenge; Igba Byuan; Master Ter Byuan; Terzungwe Aulugh; Tsehemba Wandor; and “a little boy whose name is not yet known” were said to have been killed in Gwer East Local Government Area (LGA) alone, in one fell swoop. Gwer East is in Benue North West Senatorial District.
Elsewhere in Benue North East, Ayati Orlu-Bem Ayati, a rights lawyer said, “in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, when we wake up these days it’s the death tolls of the Fulani-slain farmers that we take stock of.
“From house to house, village to village, dead bodies pile up on the roads and in the bush – mangled dead bodies or burnt victims of Fulani onslaught with charred remains.”
No fewer than 29 persons were reportedly killed in the area alone, in the last one week. The news of the killings is not limited to the aforementioned local government areas. Kwande, Katsina-Ala, Logo, Gwer West are among LGAs that are still grappling with onslaught from
Ayati adds that “this is the sad reality of our new awareness in Benue State.”
These heinous killings are coming few and barely hours after an ultimatum by the Benue State Security Council on compliance with the state’s Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law (2017), Laws of Benue State.
The Benue State Security Council, had on Tuesday, 20th February, 2024, issued a two weeks ultimatum to livestock owners, openly grazing in Benue State to comply with the State’s Open Grazing Prohibition and Establishment of Ranches Law, insisting that the law is still in force in the state.
Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor, Tersoo Kula, who briefed journalists after the meeting of the council, said a seven-man committee to ensure enforcement of the ultimatum has been constituted and signalled to commence work on Wednesday, 21st February, 2024.
On the same 20th February, the Senate of the National Assembly agreed with Senator Emmanuel Udende, Benue North East (APC) and Senate Committee Chairman on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, that there is the need to take urgent security measures to halt activities of bandits in Benue North East.
Sen Udende, rising on the floor of the Senate urged the upper chamber of the National Assembly to adopt resolutions seeking to provide security for farmers in the country.
The Benue North East Senator cautioned that if measures were not taken immediately, there would be a severe food crisis in the country because bandits have taken over most parts of his Senatorial District, displacing farming populations. The senate, in its resolution, adopted the recommendations of the committee, with a view to constituting an implementation committee to ensure that the recommendations are implemented.
Of course, it is not news that hundreds of thousands of local farmers in Benue State are displaced due to activities of bandits and armed wing of cattle owners, with hundreds killed while property and fields worth billions destroyed.
The displaced are living in both Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps and IDPs host communities, in dehumanising conditions, it is learned.
Nigeria NewsDirect further learned that the spirallying prices of agriculture produce in the state is traced to the activities of bandits and herdsmen because populations that otherwise should be engaged in food production have been displaced.
“Go to the farm for who? For cattle?” Udam Samuel from Gwer West rhetorically asked. There are cases of farmers that went to the farm and did not return. Others have stood watching their produce consumed by cattles.
In the face of these are terrorists, kidnapping, and robbing locals of their earnings from farms. In spite of joint military operations, the situation remains unchanged.
Last week, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Tersoo Kula, quoted the Ukum Local Government Council (LGC) as saying that the attack at Gbagir “was carried out by armed herders in collusion with a local Militia group, who attacked their rival gang over the killing of one of the herders, which resulted to casualties recorded and displacement of the locals from the area.”
It is a mixed story of local militia activities and the armed wing of cattle owners in Benue State, against local farmers.
Like the recent case of attacks on Gbagir, a community in Ukum LGA, Benue North East, anonymous sources say it’s due to activities of rival militia lords.
Sen Udende, earlier mentioned, in his motion called for review of the security architecture in the areas. In spite of the presence of security operatives, locals remain on the run, underscoring the call for the review of the situation.
Indeed, urgent measures need to be taken to avert the feminine that is staring Nigeria’s Food Basket State in the face. If the basket is empty, there is no food for the country. Starvation will set in.
