The House of Representatives has directed the Joint Military Security Task Force stationed in Benue State to initiate full and coordinated security operations, with aerial surveillance and other necessary combat mission plans to flush out the bandits around Mbaikyor and other banditry camps in Benue State.
It said this is to allow the farmers to return to their farm lands to continue to ensure adequate food production within a secured environment.
The decision of the House followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance on the need to address the banditry attack on mbaikyor community of Gwer East Local Government area of Benue state, moved at the plenary on Tuesday by Hon. Austin Achado.
Presenting the motion, the lawmaker recalled that on Thursday March 7, 2024, between 4pm and 7pm, the Mbaikyor Community was attacked by bandits, killing over 20 people including a 90-year-old set of twins, one of who was burnt beyond recognition and an 8-year-old child, who was cut into pieces.
He noted that the bandits burnt down 50 houses including the village market and sacked the entire community leaving many with various degrees of injuries.
The lawmaker lamented that within the three hours that the attack lasted, there was no response from the security agencies, despite distress calls to the relevant government and security agencies by an indigene Mr. Ajinge Saa.
Achado added that the Nigerian Airforce Base, Makurdi was less than 30km to the Mbaikyor Community, while a Joint Military Security Task Force checkpoint is less than 15 km from Mbaikyor community.
He said sadly, the security forces only arrived at the scene of the incident 20 hours after the bandits left.
The House resolved: “Investigate the failure of the Nigerian Airforce Base, Makurdi and the Joint Military Security Task Force in Benue State in responding to the distress calls from Mbaikyor Community and other distress calls in the State, despite their proximity.