Benue State has been plagued by recurring violent attacks, kidnappings, and killings, often attributed to armed herdsmen, leaving residents in a state of fear and insecurity.
Speaker of the Benue House of Assembly, Hyacinth Dajoh, has assured displaced Yelwata refugees that no invader will succeed in taking their land.
According to him, “Our land was given to us by God, and nobody can take it from us.”
Dajoh made this statement during a visit to the refugees at the Ultra Modern International Market in Makurdi, where he also donated assorted relief items to the victims.
The speaker expressed confidence that God would help the government to resettle the displaced persons in their ancestral homes.
This divine intervention, he said, would bring an end to the suffering of the displaced persons and restore their dignity.
Dajoh also advised the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Dr. James Iorpuu, to serve the displaced persons diligently and without sharp practices.
“If you serve the displaced persons without indulging in sharp practices, good luck will follow you even after you leave office,” Dajoh said.
“But bad luck will follow you if you deprive them of what is due them.”
The speaker’s visit and donation of relief items to the displaced persons have brought some solace to the victims.
A member of the House, Mr. Peter Uche, appealed to the speaker to keep to his words of assisting the displaced persons to return to their homes.
Responding, Iorpuu appreciated the United Nations, spirited individuals, and churches for their support to the displaced persons.
He assured that his agency would continue to work tirelessly to ensure that the donated items reach the victims.
Iorpuu also appealed to relevant agencies to assist in putting an end to the issue of invasion of Benue communities.
