From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
House of Representatives, yesterday, charged the Nigerian Army, police and other security agencies to enforce the order declared banditry in any part of the country as an act of terrorism.
The House also charged the security agencies to stem the rising cases of killings across Benue communities, especially those sharing borders with Nasarawa State.
The Green Chamber, while commiserating with the families of victims of banditry, called on the relevant government agencies to send relief materials to those who are displaced.
This followed the adoption of a motion by Bem Mzondu, on urgent need to stop renewed attacks and killings by armed herdsmen and bandits in Benue communities.
Mzondu, in his motion, noted that, recently, there have been an increase in attacks and gruesome killing by herdsmen in communities in Guma, Markudi, Gwer west local governments of Benue State.
The lawmaker expressed worry that in an attack in Guma Local Government Area, yesterday, six persons were killed, while over 20 persons were injured.
According to him, there are suspicion of alleged “collusion of army and other security agencies in the attack, as an army unit is stationed less than 5km from the location of where the herdsmen and bandits operated for more than two hours without any intervention from security agencies.”
“By the notice of proscription order as contained in the federal official order dated, September 29, 2021 Volume 108, Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda and other similar armed groups have been declared to be terrorists and illegal in any part of Nigeria, especially in the North West and North Central and are proscribed pursuant to Section 1 and 2 of the Terrorism Prevention Act of 2011…”