Benue lawmaker urges inclusion of Agatu IDPs in housing scheme amid rising insecurity
Andrew Adedeji Markudi
A member of the Benue State House of Assembly representing Agatu constituency, Godwin Edoh, has appealed to both the Federal Government and the Benue State Government to include displaced residents of Agatu Local Government Area in the ongoing housing scheme for internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Edoh made the appeal on Monday while speaking to journalists in Makurdi, expressing concern over the worsening security situation in the area. He said inclusion in the housing programme would enable affected residents to rebuild their lives after years of displacement.
The lawmaker lamented that several communities in Agatu have been overrun by suspected armed herdsmen, forcing residents to flee to Obagaji, the local government headquarters.
According to him, the attacks have persisted for about four years, leaving many hinterland communities deserted.
He noted that despite the deployment of security personnel, including the Nigerian Air Force, soldiers, police special squads and civil defence operatives, residents remain unable to return to their ancestral homes.
“As we speak, people from the hinterlands have all relocated to Obagaji. Villages have been deserted, and residents can no longer engage in farming and fishing, which are their primary sources of livelihood,” Edoh said.
The lawmaker warned that the continued insecurity could disrupt preparations for the 2027 general elections, as some affected areas are currently inaccessible.
He added that key infrastructure, including schools, markets and primary healthcare centres, had been destroyed during the attacks.
Edoh, however, commended Hyacinth Alia for directing security agencies to intensify operations against criminal elements in the forests.
He expressed optimism that sustained implementation of the directive would restore peace and facilitate the return of displaced persons.
He reiterated his call for authorities at both state and federal levels to extend the housing scheme to Agatu, stressing that such intervention would support the resettlement of displaced residents.
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The appeal follows a recent protest by thousands of IDPs in Obagaji, who blocked the Abuja–Otukpo federal highway to demand urgent government action.
The protesters decried prolonged displacement and restricted access to their homes and farmlands, urging authorities to enable their safe return.