These senseless killings must stop now!

A member of the House of Representatives representing Mangu/Bokkos federal constituency in Plateau State, Solomon Maren, according to news report disclosed last week that under two days, over 100 people were killed by some gun-wielding assailants in the state.

Mr Maren who was addressing a press conference said the killings happened in his constituency during attacks at different times on villages in the area.

The lawmaker said the attackers also burnt houses, farms and stored agricultural inputs, adding that the latest attacks took the death toll to 200 in the past four months.

Maren expressed dissatisfaction with the effort of the federal government in providing security for the people of the state. He also alleged that the military has not been well-equipped to battle the terrorists.

He said most of those who were butchered in cold blood were women and children during what he called an overnight unprovoked attack when their houses, including foodstuff, food barns and seedlings were equally burnt down.

The federal lawmaker said that government may claim to be doing its best but its best is not good enough, since it has not been able to stop the killings that had been going on for years.

While the people of the once quiet and tourist haven Plateau State were busy grieving and burying their loved ones, the people of the Benue State were also counting their losses and mourning their beloved ones most of who were cut down in their prime.

A report last month said that under three weeks, over 400 souls were felled by these rampaging killers across the state that prides itself to be the food basket of the nation.

The worst hit in the recent attacks were said to be communities in the Benue South District, the home of the Idoma-speaking people.

Apa, Agatu and Otukpo axis of the area accounts for the majority of the casualties.

For instance, Apa Local Government Area, alone was said to have recorded over 250 deaths while no fewer than 75 persons lost their lives in Otukpo LGA within this period.

Agatu LGA, which is said to be the epicentre of herders’ incursions in Benue South about 30 casualties among others.

The blood chilling account of these senseless killings are really troubling and should make any serious government to be more deliberate, courageous and purposeful to end these grievous crimes against humanity.

It has been said over time that the summary of the duty of the government is to provide welfare and security for its people. The scripture says that whoever is not able to provide for his household denies faith and he is really worse than an infidel. The same applies for a government that can’t guarantee peaceful co-existence, security of life and property as well as law and order in its domain.

The effect of this mindless killings both internally and internationally cannot be overemphasised. To the outside world, it portrays the country as a place not safe to invest with no regard and value for human life. This will continue to serve as obstacle to efforts to advance the socio-economic development of the country.

It has been reported several times that the current skyrocket prices of food and other agricultural produce were as a result of these mindless killings and insecurity that the farmers had to grapple with which have made many to abandon their farms for safety. Sometimes ago, about 100 farmers were mercilessly killed by the terrorists on their farms in Borno State.

More often than not, the blame for the senseless killings has always been on the tardiness of the government forcing the locals to sometimes resort to self-help and the orgies, the cycle of violence will continue.

As the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is warming to take up the challenge of leading the country in about a week now, this is an area he must deploy a very strong political will to deal decisively with.

Life is sacrosanct and it must remain so. The fundamental freedom of right to life and qualitative living as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution for all Nigerians irrespective of status, tribes and afliation must be upheld jealously.

This is one area the outgoing government of President Muhammadu Buhari failed considerably but Nigerians are strongly hoping that the All Progressives Congress (APC) government of Bola Tinubu will demonstrate qualitative leadership and live up to the billing of making life of every Nigerian counts no matter where they live across the country.