Former Benue State Commissioner of Finance and President of Apa Legacy and Sustainability Initiatives, Dr. David Olofu, has called on state and federal governments to construct a coastal road from Lokoja to Taraba State to stimulate economic activities and combat insecurity in the region.
During a sympathy visit to communities in Apa and Otukpo recently attacked by suspected herdsmen, Dr. Olofu emphasized that the ungoverned spaces within that corridor have significantly contributed to violent activities, as criminal elements exploit these vulnerable areas to hide and carry out attacks.
Infrastructure as Security Solution
"Without roads, security agencies, who obviously cannot be stationed in every nook and cranny of our community, would have difficulty arriving at locations promptly to prevent an impending attack," Olofu stated during his visit to Ankpali Edikwu and Otobi-Akpa.
He further explained, "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 are no good roads, the security agencies find it difficult to quickly respond to attacks when invited."
Dr. Olofu described the frequency of unprovoked attacks by suspected herdsmen as an "epidemic" and called for unity among the people regardless of tribe, creed, religion, or partisan interests to effectively combat the menace.
Community Vigilance Encouraged
The former commissioner also urged youth not to abdicate their responsibility in protecting their communities, encouraging them to organize themselves into vigilante groups to enhance local security.
Visibly moved by the devastating social and economic impact of the attacks, Dr. Olofu lamented, "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."
Professor David Salifu, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Apa Legacy And Sustainability Initiatives, clarified that their mission was humanitarian in nature. "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," he stated.
Local Impact of Attacks
According to local leaders, the recent attack at Ankpali-Edikwu resulted in 12 fatalities and numerous serious injuries. Chief David Otokpa, clan head of Edikwu, and Chief Elaigwu Abutu, the Adu of Edikwu, expressed gratitude to Dr. Olofu and his team for their sympathy visit during this difficult time.
Chief Bernard Omaiye, an elder who spoke during the visit, thanked Dr. Olofu and Dr. Salifu for their humanitarian efforts and called for collaboration among all Idoma sons and daughters to address the herdsmen crisis in the region.
The proposed coastal road project, if implemented, could potentially transform security operations and economic activities across multiple states, creating a vital corridor that would help authorities maintain better control over previously ungoverned spaces.
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