…..Community Reacts; Decries Lack of Response from Security Agents to Distress Calls
From John Adams, in Okpoga
The activities of Armed Bandits across Benue Communities have continue unabated with the latest being the attack on Ingle Otanufe Community in Okpokwu Local Government area of the state by gunmen where no fewer than five people were abducted on their way from the farm.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening at about 6; 00 pm when the victims, which a source close to the community said were picked from different locations on their way from the farms.
The latest incident on Wednesday makes it exactly two years when a similar abduction took place in the community when Gunmen in their numbers went away with five people, including a married woman.
The victims later regained their freedom after their families were made to pay between N200, 000 to N300, 000 ransoms and the only married woman among them was ganged raped before her release.
According to the National Public Relation Officer, Otanufe National Community Development Association, Comrade Clement Ijika who confirmed the incident to our correspondent, two people whom he gave their names as Simon Okpe and Michael Adah were abducted from Otanufe while a husband and wife were kidnapped from Efonugu on their way from the farm.
Although he said the abductors were yet to make contact with the relations of the victims, the incident has thrown the entire community into confusion, adding that “right now we don’t know what to do at the moment because the gunmen have not made any contact to the community their families”.
He blamed lack of security presence in the entire Edumaoga Community as the reason behind the recent invasion by the gunmen, stressing that the men of the Benue State Community Volunteer Guard have not made their impact felt in the community.
However it was gathered that when the incident occurred on Wednesday, the people sent a distress calls to the Military stationed at Okpoga, the headquarters of the local government when the police said they had no vehicle or motorcycles to move, but there was no response from the Military.
“As I speak to you now, there is no any attempt to go after these people with a view to rescue the victims. The police said they have no vehicle or motorcycles and the Military that has all what it takes to go after these people refused to respond to our calls. Everybody is helpless in the community right now.
“The greatest challenge is that the Soldiers and the Police are not working in synergy, they are working in parallel which is wrong. There is no way they can address the security situation in the area without working together, the Police knows the terrines more than the Soldiers”, our source added.
When contacted, the Chairman of Okpokwu local government, Hon. Amina Audu confirmed the latest incident but said only three people, two men and a woman were abducted by the gunmen, adding that the abductors were yet to make contact with the people.
The Chairman however dismissed the allegations by the community that there was no response from the security Agents in the area, adding that “the security Agent told me that they went after the kidnappers immediately after the incident was reported but could no trace them”.
She said that efforts are being made with a view to secure their release, stressing that contrary to insinuations by the community that the security people did not respond to their calls, the security Agents is trying their best.
“The security situation in the local government has reduced compared to what was obtained in the past and we are working with the security to ensure that the situation is brought under control”, she added.