Ortom, Arase shun Reps hearing on Agatu killings

Members of the House of Representatives were disappointed on Wednesday after key stakeholders failed to attend an investigative hearing on the recent killings in Benue State by suspected Fulani herdsmen, particularly in Agatu villages.
DAILY POST reports that no fewer than 500 villagers were reportedly killed in Agatu in March by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
Over 7,000 residents were also rendered homeless.

There had also been a series of attacks in Buruku, Gwer-West/East, Makurdi and other local government areas in the state, which claimed several lives.
The House of Representatives had described the development as the “alarming influx of unidentified herdsmen into Benue State and the consequent threat to peace, life and property” and passed a resolution to investigate it.
The House Committees on Police, Defence and National Security opened a public hearing on the attacks on Wednesday, but the lawmakers were surprised that the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, shunned the session.

The Minister of Interior, Lt-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazzau (retd.), and the Governor of Benue State, Mr. Samuel Ortom, also failed to attend the hearing to the dismay of the committee members.

None of the government officials sent representations to the session, Punch reports.
Their absence forced the committee to suspend the hearing by one day after taking a few submissions from groups such as the Mdzough U Tiv.
The Lead Chairman of the hearing, Mr. Haliru Jika, announced the decision of lawmakers to summon Arase and Dambazzau to appear before the panel on Thursday (today).
“The National Assembly is the assembly representing the whole nation and we must discharge our constitutional responsibilities,” he stated.