•Says it amounts to mockery
Gbeji community in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State has rejected the sympathy message of the Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, describing it as mockery.
Just as the President, Ukum Development Association (UDA), Mr. Joseph Akenawe Terzungwe, has also faulted a statement by the Commissioner of Police, Benue State Command, CP Wale Abbas that the attack and killing at the community was carried out by Fulani herdsmen because their members were killed and their cows rustled in the area.
Alhaji Atiku had sent a message of sympathy to the community after attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen. More than 39 people, including two policemen, were allegedly killed and many hospitalized.
“I’m saddened by the sustained clashes between farmers and herders that led to the loss of lives, including those of police officers in Gbeji community, Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State,” Alhaji Atiku stated in part of his message.
“When our people are well integrated into communities where they live, work, pay taxes and raise their children, they’d be obligated to reciprocate the love and acceptance. My deepest condolences to the families that may have lost a loved one and to the people and government of Benue State.”
Reacting to Atiku’s condolence message, the eldest child of Gbeji and Market Overseer, Elder Jonathan Gbeji, in a statement which he signed and mandated one of his brothers, Daniel Gbeji, former Ukum Local Government PDP chairman, to read before newsmen, the community rejected the condolence, message describing it as mockery.
The following is the full statement of the leaders of the Gbeji community.
“We members of the Gbeji community are disappointed with the statement by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar that there were farmers and herders’ clash in Gbeji which claimed lives including those of policemen.
“What happened in Gbeji last Wednesday, 19th October 2022, was an unprovoked attack by armed Fulani militia, on the people around six o’clock in the morning.
“For Alhaji Atiku to talk about integration does not arise in Gbeji as the attackers do not live among us.
“After the unprovoked attack, many people visited us, including Senator Gabriel Suswam and other members of the National and State Assemblies who also visited the mortuary and saw some of the bodies of those killed.
“That Alhaji Atiku who is supposed to be the big shelter of the Tiv people, the Zege Mule u Tiv, does not believe people have been killed in spite of media reports and eyewitness accounts is the height of insensitivity.
“Alhaji Atiku should have taken time to visit us, or send assistance to alleviate our humanitarian problems, is the least that we expected at this time.
“As of today, the death toll has risen to 39 with many still missing while others are in various hospitals.
“If anyone cannot help us in our time of distress he should not mock us.
“We therefore, reject Alhaji Atiku’s statement which we regard as mockery.”
Community, police trade words
Reacting, the President of UDA described as false the statement by the Commissioner of Police.
Speaking with newsmen at Zaki Biam, headquarters of Ukum Local Government Area of Benue yesterday, Mr. Terzungwe insisted that the rampaging killer herdsmen that attacked the community were not from the area.
He said, “There was no time that any member of the Gbeji community or any citizen of the area had a conflict, clash or killed a Fulani person or rustled their cow.
“There are no Fulani herdsmen in this area, and neither are their cows. Fulani do not live with us in this area or neighbouring community, so there is no possibility of farmers clashing or having conflicts with herdsmen. No member of the Ukum Local Government Area has issues with Fulani,” he stated.
The Police Commissioner in the state was quoted in a media report as saying the killing of over 36 people in Gbeji was a reprisal attack.
He stated that the crisis started when five Fulani herdsmen were attacked and killed in three separate incidents and their cows rustled.
He, however, gave a lower death toll of 10 people, including a policeman, during the reprisal attack, stating that the officer was hit by a stray bullet and died en route to the hospital.”
But according to the Association President, the Commissioner of Police’s assertion was merely an attempt to cover up and justify the unjustifiable murderous act by the Fulani herdsmen.
He disclosed that the herdsmen that carried out the deadly attack that left many dead and several others wounded ambushed the vulnerable and innocent members of the community in the middle of the night unprovoked, killed and destroyed houses as well as properties and left with no trace.
Also in a statement, the Convener of the Benue Republicans, Chief Peter Shande, reminded the Police Commissioner that, as far back as 2017 when the State Government enacted the Law prohibiting open grazing of cattle and other livestock and the establishment of ranches, there had been no open grazing of livestock in the area.
He queried the motive of the Police Commissioner’s statement and concluded that there must be a conspiracy between the police authority in the state and the presidency.