Chief Iorbee Ihagh, a retired Comptroller of Prisons and the President General of Mdzough U Tiv Worldwide, has urged President Bola Tinubu to extend the successful military operations currently underway in Zamfara State to Benue State. Ihagh, who also chairs three socio-cultural organizations in Benue – Mdzough U Tiv, Ochetoha K’Idoma, and Omi Ny’Igede – spoke to our correspondent in Makurdi on Sunday, emphasizing that such action could help curb the rising activities of bandits in troubled areas of the state.
Ihagh commended the Federal Government for its military interventions in Zamfara, noting that the operations had been effective in reducing the influence of terrorists and bandits in the region. However, he pointed out that Benue State had been grappling with insecurity for over a decade, with rural communities regularly targeted by bandits.
“The military intervention in Zamfara, which has reportedly weakened the operational capacity of the bandits, was ordered by President Tinubu to protect the lives and properties of the people of Zamfara. We are asking for the same intervention in Benue,” Ihagh said.
He further praised President Tinubu’s infrastructure initiatives in Benue but underscored that security was equally vital for the well-being of the state’s citizens. “Benue is the food basket of the nation, and if we cannot farm because of insecurity, there will be hunger across the country,” he warned.
Ihagh highlighted several local government areas, including Kwande, Agatu, Gwer West, and Guma, which have been overtaken by bandits, forcing residents to flee their ancestral homes. He urged the federal government to take immediate action to restore peace in these affected regions and allow displaced citizens to return to their farming practices.
“We are appealing to the federal government to drive these bandits out of Benue and other affected states, so people can go back to their homes and resume their agricultural activities. If insecurity continues unchecked, the country is at risk of further crises,” Ihagh concluded.