A member of the House of Representatives, Blessing Onuh, has raised a fresh alarm over the escalating violence in Otupko/Ohimini Federal Constituency of Benue State, declaring that the attacks on communities amount to genocide.
Onuh, who made the call during plenary on Thursday, said once-peaceful villages in her constituency have been turned into killing fields by heavily armed attackers.
She warned that describing the situation as banditry would only downplay the true nature of the assaults on innocent civilians.
She said, “I am from Benue State, Mr Speaker. I would like to commend you for dedicating the entire week to addressing the insecurity that has continued to bedevil us as a nation. I also wish to commend the previous speaker for his contribution, which I strongly align with and will further emphasize.
“Years ago, I could beat my chest and confidently say that such violence could never reach my constituency, Otupko/Ohimini Federal Constituency. But today, a once peaceful community has become a den for criminals.
“We can no longer refer to this as mere banditry. Our country is under attack. Our country is under siege. This is not banditry. It is terrorism in its highest form. It is genocide.”
The warning comes days after a deadly assault on Anwule community in Ohimini Local Government Area, where armed men reportedly raided several villages, including a farm, which left homes and farmlands destroyed. Survivors are still in shock, and many residents have fled the area.
Months earlier, similar attacks occurred in Otobi and Akpa communities in Otupko LGA.
Residents there are still grappling with the aftermath, including destroyed homes, abandoned farms, and trauma from killings and kidnappings that left several people dead.
Other communities affected include Odudauje and Adoka, areas where fear and displacement continue to dominate daily life.