Benue State House of Assembly has condemned the demolition of residential houses at Tse Poor, Nyon layout Ugondo in Makurdi and Tswardyu Mbaingyor in Gwer East local governments.
It requested the Nigerian Air Force Authorities to halt the demolition exercise to pave way for a dialogue with the aim of resolving all contentious issues.
KemiFilaniNews reported that the Nigerian airforce last week demolished several civilian houses over the lingering land dispute between the Nigerian Airforce and its host community, Ugondo people of Makurdi local government area of Benue state.
The house has equally asked the commissioner For Lands, survey and solid minerals and the state Surveyor General to appear before it this Thursday to give details on the contentious lands of the two communities.
These were part of the resolutions during Tuesday’s plenary when members representing Makurdi South Constituency, Hon. Terwase Aondoakaa moved a motion of public urgent importance calling on the Nigerian Air Force Tactical Air Command Makurdi to halt the demolition exercise and was seconded by a member representing Gwer East, Hon. Geoffrey Agbatse.
The house also appealed to the affected residents in these two communities to remain calm and not take the law into their own hands but wait for the outcome of the dialogue.
In their contributions, members representing Guma state Constituency, Barr. William Ortyom and Minority leader, Rt. Hon. Bem Mngutyo lamented the protracted dispute and faulted the move of the Nigerian Air Force saying it was contempt of court.
Also commenting, majority leader, Rt. Hon. Damian Cheme, Rt. Hon. Terkaa Ucha and Hon. Abu Umoru stressed the need for the state to review the procedure for land acquisition for federal institutions in the state in order to avoid such a dispute.
Speaker, Rt. Hon. Titus Uba thanked members for their robust contributions to the motion and expressed optimism that the introduction of Benue Geographic information center would address such challenges.