A lawmaker representing Apa in the Benue State House of Assembly, Abu Umoru, has lamented the delay in response of security agencies to a series of killings in the state.

In an interview with Channels TV, Mr Umoru said security agencies often arrived late after killer herdsmen had left after raiding communities.

He said, “The security officers are always arriving at the scene when the herders are gone. When we cry for help, nobody is there.’’

Citing Sunday attacks in Gwer West and Apa local government areas of the state, Mr Umoru said it took soldiers in neighbouring community two hours to arrive at the scene.

Mr Umoru stated, “We have soldiers in a community not far from where this attack happened on Sunday and they were not there. It took them over two hours after the perpetrators left the community. This is not the first time. Kidnapping on the farm, road, raping of our mothers and sister is ongoing every day. This is happening in a state with anti-grazing open law, and we don’t know what is happening. My community and constituency is helpless.”

About 40 people were killed in coordinated attacks by herdsmen in Gwer West and Apa local government areas of Benue State on Sunday.

The state governor, Alia Hyacinth, in a statement on X, on Tuesday, condemned the attack, saying “These killings are unacceptable, and as your governor, I will not sit idly while our communities are turned into killing fields.”

Following the attack, the police command in the state had relocated area commanders and tactical teams to Apa and Gwer West LGAs.