Benue State President General narrates how herdsmen killed 147 in two months

The Chairman of Benue ethnic leaders and President General of Mzough U Tiv, MUT, worldwide, Chief Iorbee Ihagh said over 147 persons have been killed in the state by herdsmen militia in the last two months.

He lamented that the unprovoked attacks by the armed herders on innocent farmers had already taking its toll on the peasants farmers who contribute in no small measure to the food needs of the state and country at large.

Chief Ihagh in a statement made available to newsmen Thursday in Makurdi, warned that if the activities of the armed herdsmen were not checked the country faced the prospect of worsening food shortages later in the year since farmers might not be able to return to their farms with the coming of the rains.

He noted that “the surge in the killings at a time when the nation is battling with the issue of food insecurity is worrisome and needs to be tackled with all sincerity and forcefully too. We believe that the era of handling issues of insecurity with kid gloves is over.

“Also, the surge in the rate of attacks and kidnappings in the North West and North East, is an indication that now, more than ever before, the military should step up its act by pushing these criminal elements Northwards and finally out of the country to where they belong.

“In other scenerios, we have witnessed where these elements are conniving with the natives of communities and causing mayhem. A recent case study is the collaboration of some of these bandits with a local militia group in Ukum Local Government Area, LGA of the State, where many lives were lost.

“As the Chairman of the three sociocultural organisations in the State, we also wish to identify with our brothers and sisters in Benue South senatorial district (Zone C), who are witnessing killings in their area, almost on a daily basis.

“From the data available to us, the state may have lost about 147 persons to herdsmen militia attacks in the last two months. The number of deaths at our disposal are reported cases, but we strongly believe that the number of deaths could be more, because one or two persons may have been killed elsewhere that may not have been reported.”

Chief Ihagh who gave a breakdown of the killings in the three Senatorial zones of the state said, “the cries by individuals and groups, over these killings have fallen on deaf ears, hence we decided it was appropriate for us to take our cries to the President and Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria’s Armed Forces, President Bola Tinubu, whom we have so much confidence in and that he has the capacity to end these mindless killings that are going on in Benue State.

“Therefore, The MUT calls on the three State Governments, that is the Government of Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba States, to empower Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), the military spike operation in the three states to deliver on their mandate.

“We also call on the Federal Government to work out modalities at ensuring that OPWS has enough manpower to handle the needs in its Joint Operations Areas in view of the increase in activities of these herdsmen militia, that have hindered our people from going to the farms.

“MUT is aware that it may not be possible to have the needed manpower that it deserves, however, we are aware that the manpower that OPWS has at the moment is a far cry from what it should have at the moment.

“However, we wish to commend the officers and men of OPWS under the leadership of Major General Sunday Igbinomwanhia for their resilience so far. We believe that given the needed manpower and empowerment by the three State Governors they can produce more results.

“MUT recalls the during the administration of Senator Gabriel Suswam, in Benue state, he cried out to the then President, Goodluck Jonathan over the incessant killings in the area and some soldiers from the Southern part of the country who did not have much on their hands then were drafted to Benue, and they brought the situation under control.

“This can also be applied in this instance to check the killings in the State, which has become a daily occurrence.”

While commending President Tinubu for all the interventions, programmes and projects he sent to Benue State, under his Renewed Hope Agenda, the MUT also lauded Governor Hyacinth Alia’s purposeful leadership and “for giving the people of Benue State a new lease of life.

“We state unequivocally, that we stand with the Governor Alia in his quest to rid the state of these bandits by enforcing the Benue Open Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017.”