Senate laments herdsmen’s killings, urges FG to strengthen security
Posted by Mayowa Okekale, Abuja | 10 May 2019 | 1,132 times
•Motion sponsor, Senator Chukwuka Utazi
The Senate has frowned on the increasing rate of killings perpetrated by herdsmen on farming communities across the country, leading to loss of lives and property.
The upper chamber however urged the federal government to curtail movement of cattle in the country as a way of checkmating criminals who disguise as herdsmen to perpetrate evil.
It also asked security agencies to urgently fish out killers of one Nnamdi Ogueche by suspected herdsmen in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State.
This however followed a motion sponsored by a lawmaker representing Enugu West, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, titled, ‘the existential threat to the people of Uzo-Uwani LGA of Enugu State’.
The Red Chamber further urged the people of Uzo-Uwani Local Government and Adaba Community to maintain the peace while more effective strategies were being devised by the federal and the Enugu State Governments to deal with the heinous activities of herdsmen on their land.
Leading the debate on the motion, Mr Utazi said that the late Mr Ogueche was killed for condemning the violent takeover of farmlands in Uzo-Uwani.
He noted that Mr Ogueche was shot at about 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20, 2019, while on his way to Enugu from Umulokpa, Uzo-Uwani Local Government in Enugu State.
Mr Utazi said that the deceased had earlier in the day, attended a meeting between herders and community members in Adaba village to discuss wanton destruction of farmlands and crops by cattle.
The lawmaker said Mr Ogueche, the spokesman during the meeting, alleged that herders destroyed peoples’ farmlands and raping women.
Mr Utazi said the deceased left behind a wife, three children and aged parents, lamenting that they were without support.
Contributing, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu urged the Senate to ensure the creation of state police, stressing that the present police force was centralised and would not effectively address escalating insecurity in the country.
The president of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, in his remarks, lamented the worsening state of insecurity in the country, saying that the Senate must play its part in tackling the situation.
Source: News Express
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