According to the Apa Development Association, a sociocultural umbrella organization for the Apa people, armed intruders slaughtered 89 individuals in 31 villages inside the Apa Local Government Area of Benue State in the past three months.
Eche Akpoko, the association’s head, described the local security situation as “precarious and dangerous” while speaking with press yesterday in Makurdi.
In addition to Ope-Ikobi, Ochi-Ikobi, Olugwu-Ikobi, Inowa-Ikobi, Olegoncha-Ikobi, Ijaha-Ikobi, Imana-Ikobi, and Oleoke-Ikobi, where 40 people were slain, he named the impacted communities.
Twenty individuals, he claimed, had been killed in the villages of Ebugodo-Edikwu, Ankpali-Edikwu, Olegijamu-Edikwu, Olekele-Edikwu, Ukpogo-Edikwu, Edikwu-Icho, Edikwu-Oladoga, Okwiji-Edikiwu, and Ojecho-Edikwu.
“At Ugbobi, five persons were killed including the village head. In Odugbo, eight persons were shot dead while five persons were killed at Olegogba, and one person each was killed at Akpete and Opaha respectively. Akpanta and Iyapu were also attacked and two persons each were killed.”
Akpoko further used the opportunity to debunk the narratives making the rounds in some quarters that the attacks on the people of Apa LGA were as a result of chieftaincy/land disputes.
“This claim is merely speculative, spurious and baseless as it’s intended to divert public attention from the real issues on ground. Contiguous local governments to Apa such as Agatu, Otukpo and Gwer-West have also suffered similar attacks.
“We maintain that the rationale for these unprovoked attacks on Apa Local Government people is a clear case of invasion and forceful occupation of our land!”
Akpoko called on the federal and state governments to mobilise relevant agencies to provide relief materials to the people.
He warned that the people might be compelled to activate their rights of self-defence, which might lead to total breakdown of law and order.
