Lawmaker seeks compensation for victims of herdsmen attacks

A member of the House of Representatives, Mr Emmanuel Orker-Jev, has urged the Federal Government to compensate victims of herdsmen attacks in Benue.

Orker-Jev, who made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja, said victims were facing difficulties due to the disruption of their sources of livelihood.

He particularly noted that those recently attacked in Buruku were yet to receive any form of support or compensation.

“Unfortunately, nobody has been compensated."

“For example, last year when this same motion was passed on the floor of the House, NEMA was supposed to go and distribute relief materials and food stuff as a palliative and up till today, they have not done anything.”

Orker-Jev, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, noted that the series of attacks, which often occur during planting and harvest, had disrupted agricultural production in the area.

“When farmers are supposed to be on their farms, they are in the Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs) camps nursing wounds of their attacks from the herders."

“An average Benue man is proud and will normally not want to abandon his house and seek refuge in an IDPs camp, but these incessant attacks have compelled them to run to IDP camps."

“This is seriously affecting farming activities and it is capable of causing massive hunger in the state”.

Orker-Jev, therefore, said the federal government must urgently address the problem to prevent reprisals.