A member of the House of Representatives, Dickson Tarkighir, has decried the persistent killings of farmers in Benue State, saying it has turned farming in the state into a deadly pursuit.
Mr Tarkighir, who represents Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency, said the crisis had pushed his people to the brink of extinction.
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“In my constituency of Makurdi Guma, what should be the noble act of tilling the soil, a tradition passed down through generations, has become a dangerous and often deadly pursuit,” he said in a statement on Sunday.
“These lands, once symbols of sustenance and heritage, have become unsafe due to the persistent and violent activities of murderous Fulani herdsmen.”
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The lawmaker condemned Saturday’s attack on Achakpa, a community in the Agan Council Ward of the Makurdi Local Government Area, where armed herders reportedly killed a man and his son on their way to their farmland.
He urged security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the release of those abducted and warned that the unending attacks are driving residents towards self-help.
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“Each attack further reveals the weakness of the systems and institutions tasked with the protection of life and property. We therefore call for a response that goes beyond mere declarations. A decisive and sustained effort must be made to confront these violent actors and reclaim the ancestral lands of our people,” Mr Tarkighir said.
The lawmaker said he had contacted the military formations in the area and expressed hope that “together, we shall overcome this present darkness and write a new chapter for our people.”
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