By Winnie Onu, Makurdi
Former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, Evangelist Tor Uja, has urged the Federal Government to reconstruct the Yelewata community recently attacked by armed Fulani herdsmen.
Evangelist Uja spoke when he led a delegation of interdenominational Christian leaders under the auspices of Remnant Christian Network to donate relief materials to victims of the attack in Yelewata and Makurdi.
He insisted that the Federal Government must reconstruct the Community into a modern town through the construction of at least 1000 housing units, a modern market, hospitals, schools, provision of enhanced security as well as economic empowerment of indigenes.
The Former Pilgrims boss stressed that it was the primary responsibility of government to protect lives and property and that since the Federal Government failed the people in that respect it must take up the task of reconstruction.
Evangelist Uja urged the Benue State Government, international agencies, non-governmental organizations, Churches and public spirited individuals to play complimentary roles in the rehabilitation of the victims.
He recommended the separation of herdsmen from crop farmers as a permanent solution to incessant attacks on communities.
The Former Executive Secretary lamented the idea of prolonged keeping of attack victims in internally displaced persons camps describing them as degrading and inhuman saying people should be kept in such camps for a maximum of one month.
He said the victims could be distributed to other safe communities close to them and provided with land and farm inputs to continue with their farming livelihood.
Yelewata community leader, Fidelis Dze expressed appreciation for the visit and donated items.
Items donated at both places included 200 bags of rice, 100 bags of garri, 20 packs of bathroom slippers, 20 cartoons each of sugar and salt, 15 cartoons of detergents, 10 cartoons of bathing soap and assorted clothes.
