Yewa attacks: Senate urges NEMA, others to assess extent of crisis, provide relief to Ogun communities

The Senate on Wednesday called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), to carry out an on-the-spot-assessment with a view to determining the extent of damage on communities in Ogun sacked by herdsmen attacks.

Also joined to undertake the assessment of the communities of Asa, Oho Agbooro, Moro, Ibeku and Agbon-Ojodu, are the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA).

The resolution of the Senate was for these agencies in determining the extent of the problem leading to their displacement and provide relief materials to the affected persons.

Senator, Tolu Ogunbiyi, Ogun West had in a motion sponsored sought the intervention of the Senate to end what he described as perennial attacks of communities in Yewa area of Ogun State leading to the sacking of some of the communities and the displaced communities members seeking refuge in Benin Republic.

He pointed out that while the government of Benin Republic has been a hospitable failure of Nigeria government to complement the support from the state government to these IDPs may smear on her image as a country.

He expressed concern that if the situation is not urgently and properly attended to, it will undermine the country’s international standing and cause an itch in our relations with our neighbour of Benin Republic.

Sequel to this the Senate called on the concerned authorities to pursue/put in place a necessary mechanism for the reparation and relocation of the affected peoples and communities.

The upper legislative chamber also urged the authorities of the Nigerian Police Force to see to the provision of Police Post(s) and ensuring police presence in these communities, so as to ensure security and rekindle the people’s confidence.

Senator Ogunbiyi said the hospitality of the government of the Republic of Benin should be complemented by the Nigerian side whose citizens are displaced and forced to flee to a foreign land for safety in view of the threat to their lives in their own communities.

The motion entitled urgent need to intervene in the plight of communities displaced and forced to seek refuge in Benin Republic as a result of an incessant attack by suspected herdsmen sponsored by Senator Tolu Odebiyi, Ogun West (APC) said the recent spate of attacks by suspected herdsmen on communities in Yewa area of Ogun State noted that many of these attacks by suspected herdsmen on the area remain perennial, owing to the near absence of police and other security personnel in the affected communities.

He said the disturbing attacks have brought unquantifiable damage to facilities which would have ensured the welfare of the residents and inhabitants of these.

His words: “many communities, namely (but not limited to) Asa, Oho Agbooro, Moro, Ibeku and Agbon-Ojodu, were affected by the criminal activities of these suspected herdsmen.

He said that there have been “countless attacks by these criminal elements have forced many residents of these areas have deserted and relocated to a refugee camp in Pobe area of Benin Republic in search of safety, with many of them forced to live in very unfavourable conditions in the refugee camps.

“The position of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, which followed an informed on-the-spot assessment of the affected communities, was described by the Executive Secretary of the society in Ogun State, Mr Oluwole Aboyade as ‘…a very serious disaster, a serious one of the highest order. . .’”

Aware also that the Red Cross Organization, the only recognized organization that has been providing intermittent aids for these displaced persons, has had to issue out statement, seeking assistance from well-meaning Nigerians for members of these affected communities.

He said the state government alone, can not be left with the onerous task of resettling these displaced citizens, hence, the need for support from the Federal Government to effectively return the affected citizens back to their various communities.

Senator Ogunbiyi said if the Benin Republic that is a Neighbour to Nigeria could accommodate Nigerians, give them food and set up a refugee camp for them, Nigeria needs to positively step up on how we treat our citizens who are victims of an internally induced crisis.

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