Following renewed attacks on innocent citizens in Benue communities, the youth wing of Kwande United People’s Organisation, (KUPO), has demanded for a legislation to empower locals to acquire arms for self defence.
President of the organisation, Mr. Stephen Atsaga who stated this while speaking to newsmen said continued killing of locals by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen informed their position.
Mr. Atsaga who was speaking on the recent killings in Kwande local government area of the state noted that dead and chopped bodies of locals, killed and chopped by armed herdsmen are still being evacuated from the Benue north eastern LGA.
Although the Police put the casualty figure at three, Atsaga said one of the locals involved in the evacuation of dead bodies, Akerigba Lawrence, said so far seven bodies have been recovered with two persons still missing.
While wondering why innocent citizens are being killed without provocation, Atsaga explained that the gunmen came on motorcycles, took vantage positions and opened fire on the locals who had gone for their legitimate fishing business.
Kwande youths therefore stated that if the locals are empowered by legislation to carry arms for self defence, it will help to stop the “madness.”
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According to the youth group, “incessant criminal activities of herdsmen within Kwande and other parts of Benue State have forcefully sniffed out life in thousands of our people, destroyed the economy of the whole communities, and rendered thousands of children out of school, with thousands still living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps.
“The military Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), may have done much to contain the situation, however, the problem is still with us. Just yesterday, not less than five persons who went fishing at Waya, Turan in Kwande LGA of Benue State were killed by these armed men.
“We are lossing patience and that is why it has become necessary that all men of conscience join their voices to impress on our lawmakers to pass this life saving legislation,” Atsaga said.
The KUPO youth leader said since herdsmen “freely carry arms,” it is only rational to empower locals to also carry same otherwise they are losing patience.
“We cannot fold our hands and watch our people being killed and the killers continue to move about freely with arms. Let OPWS step up its operations and those responsible for the enforcement of state legislation prohibiting open grazing execute their mandate. Enough of these attrocities,” Atsaga warns.
