President of Apa Legacy And Sustainability Initiatives, Dr David Olofu has called on the State and Federal Government to construct a coastal road from Lokoja to Taraba state to generate economic activities around that corridor.
Dr Olofu in a statement signed by Hon. Owoicho Oyih
Secretary of the initiative argued that the ungovernable space within that corridor has tremendously contributed to the murderous activities of herdsmen disclosed that these criminals elements usually take advantage of the vulnerability of the spaces as their habitat where they hide to carry out their nefarious activities.
He made the calls during a sympathy visits to some parts of Apa and Otukpo recently ravaged by ferocious attacks by suspected pastoralists especially Ankpali Edikwu and Otobi-Akpa.
The philanthropist who had in the past intervened in critical areas such as provision of scholarship to a lot of indigent students in Benue State as well as free health services to the vulnerable people in Benue South Senatorial District also called on the two governments to focus more of their developmental activities particularly good and motorable roads in the rural areas as a precursor to tackling the menace of herders criminality.
“Without roads, the security agencies who obviously cannot be stationed in every nook and crannies of our community will have difficulties in arriving your location in a prompt and expeditious manner to nip an impending attack in the bud.
“If we have good roads, our military can easily and swiftly rush to promptly rescue our communities if they are timely informed about any attacks. You can see that because there is no good roads, the security agencies will find it difficult to quickly rush to the places of attacks when invited”, he said.
Dr Olofu who described the frequency of these unprovoked attacks by the suspected herdsmen as an epidemic that called on the people to be united against the menace stressing that the attack would only stop when the entire people irrespective of tribe, creeds, religions and partisan interest genuinely come together to fight the scourge.
He also called on the youth not to abdicate the responsibility of policing their various communities to the Elders and the vulnerable saying that they should organise themselves into vigilante groups.
In a sotto voice, Dr Olofu who was moved to tears as a result of the catastrophic social and economic effects of the attacks on the earlier mentioned communities said farming which was the only major occupation of the villagers have been completely destroyed.
In his words, “I was trained by my father via his farms. My elder brother and all of us were trained by my father in the same vein but see what has happened. Our people cannot go to their farms and there is no home for them to stay. Where do we go from here. This is not only painful but devastating to say the least”.
Dr Olofu who was full of compassion donated several millions of naira to the affected communities in a deliberate bid to help cushions the devastating effects of the attacks.
During the visit, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of Apa Legacy And Sustainability Initiatives, Professor David Salifu disclosed that their mission was to commiserate with the affected people over the unfortunate incidents.
According to him, “We are here on behalf of Apa Legacy Foundation. We are not here because of politics. We are here because of love and mutual respect and relationship.
“We are here to commiserate with you and comfort you and pray for you and to God to help protect the land from the menace of the rampaging herdsmen in our land”.
Also Speaking, an elder statesman, Chief Bernard Omaiye thanked the proprietor of Apa Legacy And Sustainability Initiatives, Dr DavidOlofu, the Director General,Dr David Salifu for their humanitarianism which no doubt had tremendously impacted meaningfully on the lives of the people of Benue South Senatorial District.
He called for the collaboration of all sons and daughters of Idoma particularly to help in tackling the menace of herdsmen in the land.
In their separate reactions, the clan heads of Edikwu, Chief David Otokpa and the Adu of Edikwu, Chief Elaigwu Abutu who disclose that 12 people were killed and several others seriously injured in the attack at Ankpali- Edikwu, said amduring the attacks.
They all expressed gratitude to Dr Olofu and his team for coming down to commiserate with them in their moment of griefs.
