Ito Unity Forum (IUF), a socio-cultural group in Benue in collaboration with the Ito Youth Association, has appealed to the federal government to urgently rehabilitate the Otukpo-Obi-Oju federal road to address incessant killings and kidnappings.

The forum stated in a communique signed by its president, Patrick Ihuma.

The forum also called on the state government to construct the Alade-Obarike road to give the people of the Obi LGA a sense of belonging. It also lamented that the local government had not been linked with state roads since it was created.

It decried infrastructural decay, dilapidated primary schools, and unequipped primary healthcare centres across the 12 council wards of the local government.

The forum, therefore, called on the state government to rehabilitate and equip existing primary health centres across the council wards of the local government to cater to the health needs of the people to ensure universal health coverage.

It also called on the police commissioner in Benue, George Chuku, to strengthen security operations in the Obi Police Division and increase surveillance around the area to address insecurity.

“It resolved that anybody caught in any kind of criminal activities, cultism, drugs dealing, kidnapping, aiding and abetting any form of criminality in any part of Obi LGA shall be ostracised forthwith by Ad’Utu Obi, HRH, Chief Chris Ijale.

“The forum also charged parents and guardians to brace up to their responsibility of bringing up their wards in the right moral standards and the fear of God,” the communique said.

(NAN)