- Makes fresh call for local government autonomy
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Leke Abejide, has condemned the fresh attack on communities in Ogane Nigu, Dekina local government area of Kogi state.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, Abejide queried the slow response of security agencies to the carnage in Ogane Nigu that lasted for days.
While commiserating with the people of the affected communities, Abejide restated his call for full local government autonomy.
“My heart bleeds and heavy due to inhumanity to man perpetrated by evil men upon peace loving people of the community.
“This is the reason I am clamouring for local government to be given full autonomy to be able to secure their environment and know who are within the community and more importantly those living within their farms and forest.
“If the resources are with them they should have adequate numbers of those in town, bushes, Farms and Forest via a time to time local census to determine immigrants into the communities and farms with the help of Traditional rulers and Chiefs. They will issue permit and mode of operation within their domain on how to live in peace both within and outside the community.
“Whoever breach the agreement will know there is a problem for him or her and this can be perfected with the State government.
“Our people are predominantly arable Farmers and anything that will not make them go to farm should not be allowed to happen. I am not asking those in our forest and bushes to leave but if we must coexist then we have to agree how to live in peace together to avoid this type of ugly incident of killing innocent souls who were doing their legitimate businesses to eke out a living but unfortunately were sent to their early graves!,” he said.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship aspirant urged Kogi state government to go out and fish out the perpetrators at least to give a bit of comfort to the families of the bereaved.
“This will show to the world the Governor Yahaya Bello deserves the award of security given to him last year.”
He called for thorough inquiry into the immediate and remote causes of the incessant attacks that started in 2015.
“My preliminary investigations showed Ogane Nigu communities have been attacked repeatedly unprovoked. So far, there are no known reasons for these attacks and this is worrisome. Without unraveling the mystery behind these attacks, there is no guarantee that it will not re-occur.
“I call on local and state governments to act proactively by engaging traditional, religious and political leaders in th area with a view to understanding the reasons behind the attacks that has led to loss of lives and property,” he said.
Abejide charged security agencies to investigate the recurring attacks thoroughly and establish their presence in the area.
Oganenigu Community, which consists of about 13 fairly large villages, with Aloko as the Ward headquarters, has been under recurrent attacks by dare-devil herdsmen since 2015. It’s located about 22 kilometers from River Benue and 47 kilometers from Dekina, the local government headquarters.
