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Tag: Benue killings

  • Benue killings

    •President Buhari should resolve to end the bloodbath now

    Benue State is fast assuming the most poignant, vivid and concentrated expression in Nigeria of the anarchic state of nature into which a large swathe of the country has descended. The pall of gloom and doom descended further over the state on Wednesday when gunmen struck at dawn, attacking and killing 13 people in Saghev district in Guma Local Government Area (LGA). A day before, 19 people, including two Catholic priests and worshippers at a morning mass, were murdered in two separate attacks by the ubiquitous gunmen, in Ukpor Mbalon situated in Gwer Local Government Area (LGA). Not content with killing helpless citizens, the gunmen set the village ablaze, destroying 35 houses.

    Benue State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, confirmed the allegation that the atrocities were perpetrated by Fulani herdsmen when he told the media that preliminary investigations indicated that the herdsmen had stayed in the area for a while before executing the dastardly attacks. Speaking to this newspaper’s correspondent on the telephone after Wednesday’s attack, Owoseni described the unremitting bloodshed as going “beyond herders/farmers clashes or communal clashes” saying “It is pure murderous insurgency. These people are engaged in unconventional warfare and sheer killings”.

    On Saturday, April 21, the murderous herdsmen had struck in Tse-Abi, Tse-Ginde, Tse-Peviv, Tse-Ikyo, Agenke and Gbenka communities of Saghev district all in Guma LGA. Apart from killing 15 Tiv farmers in those attacks, they also set numerous houses and shops ablaze.

    It is curious that these herdsmen are able to strike at will, achieve their nefarious objectives and get away practically every time without being apprehended despite heavy military presence in and around Benue State. Ironically, the same military that has exhibited pathetic helplessness in curtailing the terrorist acts of marauding herdsmen in Benue and other states moved with uncharacteristic alacrity on April 19, to allegedly burn down major parts of Naka, headquarters of Gwer West Local Government Area of the state.

    The crime of the unfortunate residents of the town was the reported murder of a soldier by still unknown persons. Rather than painstakingly investigating the incident with a view to identifying and punishing the culprits, the soldiers opted for blanket and lawless criminalisation and persecution of the entire community even though it has unconvincingly attributed the arson to hoodlums.

    The responsibility for the degeneration of the security situation in Benue State rests squarely with the Federal Government, which has clearly not responded to the terrorist activities of the Fulani herdsmen with the same decisiveness and seriousness it demonstrated as regards insurgent groups in the North-East, South-East or South-South. In particular, President Muhammadu Buhari can certainly do far better in upholding his oath of office, which includes protecting the lives and property of every citizen of Nigeria.

    Just as was done in the case of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), herdsmen wielding sophisticated weapons and destroying lives with impunity must be declared terrorists and treated as such. The President cannot afford to play into the hands of those who would readily want to portray him as being soft on the herdsmen because of his Fulani roots.

    We find it difficult to comprehend why President Buhari remains hesitant to change the current service chiefs, whose tenure he has extended twice ostensibly for meritorious performance. This confidence is certainly not justified given the protracted havoc wreaked by herdsmen on host communities not just in Benue but across Plateau, Nasarawa, Kogi, Kaduna, Adamawa and Taraba, among other states. And this is not to talk of other seemingly intractable security challenges that make life precarious in virtually all parts of the country today.

    It is time for the President to inject new blood into the leadership of the military and other security agencies both in the interest of staff morale within these organisations and the overall security of the country.

  • Benue killings: Church fixes May 22 for mass burial

    A mass burial will hold on May 22 in Benue State for the victims of Tuesday’s killings during a morning mass.

    The Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi Very Rev. Fr. Jude Ortese, told reporters yesterday that the 19 victims including two priests – Rev Fr. Joseph Gor and Re. Felix Tyolahan – would be buried at Susugh Maria Pilgrimage Centre, Ayati,Ikpayongo, Gwer East Local Government Area.

    Susugh Maria Pilgrimage Centre is where the Catholic faith often go for prayer retreat.

    The centre also serves as rest home for priests.

    Fr. Ortese said: “The two priests will be buried with their worshippers and this is significant because they were praying together and seeking lasting solution to the unending killings, which had become a recurring decimal.

    He said the Diocese was breaking its rule of burial taking place within 10 days of death because “ the state government is involved in the burial and all the Bishops in Nigeria, including the Bishop of Makurdi Diocese, are in Rome to see the Pope and some Bishops may also attend the burial, so there is need to accommodate all stakeholders.”

    He called on the Federal Government to live up to its responsibility of protecting lives and properties.

    “We cannot go back to the primitive way of buying weapon to defend ourselves because out of million of Nigerians one person is elected to protect us and the person should perform his constitutional duty” said Fr. Ortese said.

    He added that “Nigerians are paying taxes to be protected, so the Federal Government must protect our lives and properties“.

    The Director of Social Communications in Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Msgr. Gabriel Osu, urged security agencies to safeguard lives and properties of Nigerians, particularly those in the middle belt.

    Osu, in a statement, said that the killings were not only abominable, but a slap on the entire Christendom and a calculated effort to instigate hatred and create fear in the hearts of Christians.

    “Those sponsoring these atrocities are being emboldened daily by the inability of the government and the law enforcement agencies to do the needful.

    “The inability of the authorities to take drastic actions against the perpetrators, the country is gradually drifting to a state of anarchy where anything goes.

    “Let those in authority beware of a gathering storm. Things are not as they should be. You cannot expect people to fold their arms and watch all they hold sacred being wiped away.

    “It is true that Christianity abhors violence, but when a people have been pushed to the wall, the only option left for them is to bounce back.

    “They must be reassured that there is no need for them to resort to self-help in order to stay alive. No one has any right to take the lives of others for no just reason,” Osu said.

    The cleric wondered why some people attack a group of worshippers in a church early in the morning and hacked them to death.

    “What manner of insanity and sadism would make some people open fire on priests celebrating mass in the house of God? What is their offence? Of what use is their death to the perpetrators?

    “This is the height of evil and human callousness that should be condemned in its entirety. This is not, and can never be acceptable in any sane society.

    “We have lost touch with all that we once considered sacred and divine, for many, their consciences are no more active, they have been polluted and disfigured.

    “We all know how Operation Python Dance was swiftly executed in the East, one wonders why the military cannot channel equal zeal to root out these callous killings?

    “If they are foreigners, why not unleash all our military arsenal on them, coupled with swift intelligence gathering? Is it that the lives of Nigerians no longer matter? “ he said.

  • PDP decries killing of Catholic priests, worshippers

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday described as sacrilegious and callous, the gruesome murder of two Catholic priests and worshippers at St. Ignatius Catholic Church, Ukpor, Mbalom, in Gwer West local government area of Benue State.

    The party said the attack on innocent and defenseless Nigerians while during worship is extremely wicked and cannot be justified under any guise whatsoever.

    In a statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party expressed worry over the unabated killings in Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa, Kogi, Zamfara, Plateau, Bornu, Adamawa and other parts of the country where bloodletting has become a daily occurrence.

    The statement said: “More worrisome is that the Federal Government has continued to allow these killings without any decisive steps to stem the ugly trend.

    “President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government must live up to its basic responsibility of protecting lives and our national territorial integrity. Indeed, our citizens cannot continue to daily fall victims to attacks by marauders while the government fails to exert itself to guarantee their safety.”

    The party urged security agencies to take immediate steps towards apprehending the perpetrators and masterminds of the dastardly act and ensure the safety of Nigerians, particularly in the troubled states.

    “Finally, the PDP commiserates with the Catholic Church, the government and people of Benue State as well as the families of the victims of these horrendous killings.

    “We pray God to heal our land and enthrone a national leadership that would restore peace, unity and harmonious living in our country,” the statement added.

     

     

     

     

  • Group accuses Obasanjo of playing politics with Benue killings

    A Non-Governmental organisation, Vanguards for the Defence of Democracy, yesterday described former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo laying of wreath over the graves of Benue people who were allegedly killed by Fulani herdsmen as an exercise to score a cheap political goal.

    Addressing reporters in Abuja, the National Coordinator, Mr. Sharon Faliya Cham urged the ex-president to stop using the people’s moment of grief as an opportunity to whip up sentiment for his political advantage.

    Recalling that Obasanjo’s administration was never crisis-free, he noted that the former president directed the military to massacre the people of Zaki-Biam and those in the adjoining villages.

    He said that since the people have been critical observers of the past, who could recall the enormity of killings during his administration, they know that the visit was in bad fate.

    His words: ’’Since Obasanjo is now interested in laying wreaths of flowers over the graves of those killed in various clashes, it is now clear that the immediate past president’s recent visit to Benue State is heavily loaded with mischief and ulterior motives.

    ‘’Chief Obasanjo ordered the massacre of the people of Zaki-Biam and surrounding villages so he consequently resigned

    ‘’But the good people of Benue are not stupid. They know Obasanjo was shedding crocodile tears, they know that he was there on a political mission. He was not there to commiserate with them but his mission was to pull them out of the league of the President Buhari supporters.

    ‘’It is clearly staged-managed to send negative political signals that can balloon and escalate into serious problems in Nigeria’’

    Meanwhile, a member of the Group, Mr Anthony Udah, said Obasanjo’s mission to Benue State was supposed to be a mission for reconciliation, reconstruction and reuniting the people in love.

    He condemned the hypocrisy that the visit signified, stressing that the nation recorded the highest number of extra-judicial killings underObasanjo’s watch as a civilian president.

    Udah alleged:“Nigeria is suffering from leadership deficiency and if there is anybody that has cheated this nation, it will be Obasanjo. Obasanjo used the government to kill a lot of people during the time of his civilian regime.The enlightenment in Nigeria is so poor that people like Obasanjo is supposed to be behind the bars.’’

    He also challenged Obasanjo to revisit the families of the victims of Zaki-Bam massacre who are still mourning since they are also indigenes of Benue State.

    Udah tackled the former president for turning a moment of grief to achievement with delusion, said: ’’While still in Benue, he should also visit Jato Aka, the country home of Wantara Paul Unongo

    ‘’I know that two places Obasanjo will avoid to lay wreath of flowers are Plateau and Southern Kaduna because they are not likely to dance to the tune of his political music again.

    “The various crises in these areas fully fit into Obasanjo’s project of sowing the seeds of discord amongst all the tendencies there, so as to engender hatred and disaffection amongst the people of the country.

    ‘’It is these crises that Obasanjo wants to attract international community’s  support for his project of installing what he calls non-partisan group on the Nigerian people of which he is to be the major beneficiary, being the only messiah of the country then it is third term project by other means.”

    He urged all politicians to join hands with the Federal Government to crush any form of corruption in Nigeria.

    Udah said that the solution to the crisis in Nigeria is to disarm those dirupting the peace of the country, adding that the government has a lot to do in terms of unification of the people.

  • Adeboye to Ortom: Benue killings made me weep

    The General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, paid a condolence visit to Benue State on the recent killing of innocent people by Fulani herdsmen.

    Adeboye told Governor Samuel Ortom how he wept in January during the mass burial of 78 victims killed in the mayhem.

    He said: “No man of God will see a mass burial anywhere and not feel the pains of the people affected.

    “Benue state is very, very close to my heart. I had felt every pain you people felt and I wept when I saw you weeping.”

    Adeboye, who was accompanied by his wife, Folu, said he was in Makurdi to console and pray for the government and people of the state over the killings by suspected herdsmen.

    He said he did not visit the state before the President to avoid unnecessary speculations about his intention.

    He said: “We want these killings to stop. Happily we know someone who can stop it, He is the Almighty God. He does not fail or compromise. He is the God of all.

    “We will continue to call on Him to fight this battle and you can be assured that victory will be certain.”

    Receiving Adeboye and his entourage, Ortom said the herdsmen’s rampage, apart from causing the deaths of many people has created a huge humanitarian crisis in the state.

    He said: “The crisis has turned Benue State into a huge refuge and IDPs camp.

    “With well over 180,000 persons displaced and housed in nine  camps in the state in a crisis that affected 16 out of the 23 local government areas of the state, my government is overwhelmed. But we know that there is nothing too hard for our God to do in the face of difficulties.”

     

     

  • We are working to end herdsmen attacks – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday appealed to leaders of various groups in Benue State to convince their constituents that the Federal Government is doing its best to end the recurring attacks by armed herdsmen in various parts of the country.

    Responding to remarks by various stakeholders during a Town Hall meeting in the Government House, Makurdi, the President also urged the stakeholders to show restraint and allow the security agencies to handle the untenable situation.

    In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President said: “The governor and I, and others here know that we will leave one day. But the relationship between farmers and herders will continue. I urge you to keep in touch with them and advise them to live peacefully. Nigeria has over 250 ethnic groups with different cultures and nobody can question God for putting us together.”

    President Buhari while noting that he was not in the habit of publicly rebuking his appointees as many would desire, said he preferred to quietly “read the riot act” as he did to the Inspector- General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, when the Benue attacks began.

    The President said he even shared the IGP’s security report on the Benue crisis with Senators George Akume and Barnabas Gemade.

    Speaking on his memories of the country’s Civil War Buhari noted that his nostalgic experience with military personnel from Benue State would never allow him to do harm to the state.

    While thanking God for the good rains, the President noted the successful efforts of the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, an indigene of Benue State, whom he described as “a great asset in my government.”

    He said his administration would continue to empower farmers with loans through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    Expressing delight that the agricultural policy of his administration has led to 90 per cent reduction in rice importation, he commended Ebonyi, Lagos, Kebbi, Jigawa and Benue States for “doing extremely well.”

     

     

  • IG Idris has taken sides in Benue killings, says Ortom

    IG Idris has taken sides in Benue killings, says Ortom

    Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom yesterday accused Inspector General of Police,Ibrahim Idris of bias in the handling of the herdsmen/ farmers clashes in the state.

    Ortom, who appeared before the Senate Committee on Police Affairs to state his own side in the Benue killings, was said to have presented copies of letters he wrote notifying Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and security agencies of the pending attacks by armed herdsmen in the state.

    The meeting was held behind closed doors after the opening speech by Chairman of the committee Senator Abu Ibrahim.

    A source said Ortom clearly told the committee that the Inspector General of Police had no business whatsoever in determining whether the anti- open grazing law the state enacted was good or bad.

    It was gather that Ortom insisted that the IGP only has the constitutional mandate to uphold and enforce the law as made by the state.

    According to the source, “Ortom also presented copies of the letters he wrote to security agencies alerting them of the pending attacks.”

    The attack, which was eventually launched on January 1 claimed over 73 lives in two communities of in Logo and Guma local government councils.

    Ortom, who appeared before the committee yesterday, expressed a vote of no confidence on Idris, who he accused of taking sides in the crises.

  • Benue killings: Police DPO under interrogation – CP

    Benue killings: Police DPO under interrogation – CP

    The Benue State Police Command is currently interrogating the Divisional Police Officer in- charge of Gboko A Division over the Wednesday killing of seven persons in the area.

    The state Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, told journalists on Friday in Makurdi that some people had already been arrested in connection with the mayhem.

    The seven victims – all travelers – were killed and burnt by a mob at the Gboko Motor Park in Gboko local government area of the state.

    Owoseni said the DPO was being questioned on whether he acted professionally upon getting a distress call on the day of the incident.

    He said: “We have arrested some suspects and of course the (Nigeria) Police has its accountability process.

    “At the moment we are trying to find out exactly what happened on that day. We are also looking at what the response time was taking into consideration when the distress call was made and when the response came in.

    “It is on the basis of this, the Divisional Officer of A Division Gboko is being questioned. We want to know what time he got the distress call and what was his immediate action.

    “We are also trying to find out from him if he responded professionally because as a police officer our allegiance and loyalty is to the constitution of this country not to any other person.”

    Owoseni said those killed in the incident had been buried.

    The DPO has been moved to Force Headquarters, Abuja, for further questioning.

    NAN

  • Buhari to Senate: I have acted on Benue killings

    Buhari to Senate: I have acted on Benue killings

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday tackled the Senate over its accusation that the Presidency has done nothing about the January 1 killings in Benue State.

    President Buhari, in a letter to the Senate, said that it was incorrect to infer that nothing had been done, especially when the police were strenuously working to apprehend the killers.

    The President’s letter was in response to the Senate’s which detailed its resolutions on the killings and the way out of the development.

    The presidential letter dated 25 January, 2018 and addressed to the Senate President Bukola Saraki is titled  “Re: Report on the review of security infrastructure of Nigeria on the emergency visit to Benue State”.

    The letter was read to senators by Saraki yesterday.

    Herdsmen suspected to be Fulani had, on January 1, swooped on two communities in Benue State, Guma and Logo, killing over 73 residents. Many others were injured.

    The President said  that on  January 9, at a session with Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, the governor was informed of police arrest of some suspects.

    He noted that the governor was told that the police had been instructed to speed up the trial of the suspects and  give wide publicity to their (the police) efforts.

    “To infer therefore that nothing has been done is incorrect. The police are strenuously working to apprehend the rest of the culprits of these heartless killings,” Buhari said.

    He told the Senate that the Federal Government was initiating measures to address the Benue killings and other security challenges to alleviate the consequence of the attacks and forestall reoccurrence.

    He said that the Senate resolution itemised in the letter to him, would be considered and “I’m instructing all relevant Ministries Departments Agencies (MDAs) to factor them in their work”.

    As part of measures to address the security situation, President Buhari said that on December 19, 2017, while receiving the report of the committee that was set up to review the technical and administrative structure of the Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA), he underscored the need to review the entire national security architecture.

    The President said that the measure was in line with his promise in his inaugural address on the 29th May, 2015.

    He said action was being initiated to receive maximum cooperation from the Senate in line with paragraph three of the Senate resolutions which sought collaboration in addressing security challenges.

    The letter reads: “I thank you for your letter referenced NASS/8S/R/01/33 dated 18th January 2018 and carefully studied the resolutions and comments there in.

    “As I briefed you and the RT. Hon. Speaker when we met, several courses of action have been taken prior to the Senate resolution.

    “You may recall that I told you of the following steps taken as soon as the information came in to me about the Benue killings.

    “One, on Thursday 4th January, I sent the Minister of Interior and the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation.

    “Two, on Friday 5th January, the Inspector-General of Police briefed me verbally on the latest situation, calm had then been restored.

    “Three, on Monday 8th, the Minister of Interior met with the following: Governors of Adamawa, Kaduna, Niger, Benue Taraba and Nasarawa together with the DG of the State Security Services, Inspector-General of Police, CG Civil Defence, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and Police Commissioner of the six aforementioned states.

    “After the meeting, I instructed the Minister of Interior to brief you on the information gathered so far and steps taken.

    “On Tuesday, 9th of January, I had a long session with Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State during which I informed him of police arrest of some suspects with Kalashnikovs. In addition, I told him that I have instructed IGP to speed up trial and prosecution of the suspects and give wide publicity of the police efforts.

    “At the request of the Governor, a meeting was held in the Presidential Villa on 15th January with a wide cross-section of Benue personages where frank and open discussions were held and everybody in the meeting appreciated the complexity and difficulties of this farmers-herders strife. I assured all and sundry of my commitment to ensure that justice is expeditiously done.

    “To infer therefore that nothing has been done is incorrect. The police are strenuously working to apprehend the rest of the culprits of these heartless killings.

    “Furthermore, I have instructed the IGP to relocate to Benue State and redeploy forces to the most sensitive towns.

    “The Federal Government is initiating measures to address these and other security challenges, alleviate the consequence of these attacks and forestall reoccurrence. The Senate resolution itemised in your letter would be taken into consideration and I am instructing all relevant MDAs to factor them in their work.

    “On December 19 to be precise, while receiving the report of the committee that was set up to review the technical and administrative structure of the Nigeria Intelligent Agency (NIA), I underscored the need to review the entire national security architecture as I promised in my inaugural address on the 29th May 2015,

    “Action is being initiated to receive maximum cooperation from the senate in line with paragraph three of the senate resolutions.”

  • Hoodlums kill seven in Benue

    Hoodlums kill seven in Benue

    The Benue State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, said on Wednesday that seven people have been killed in Gboko by “criminal elements.”

    He also said several people have been arrested in connection with the killing and brought to the state police command in Makurdi for interrogation.

    He refused to reveal the number of suspects arrested so far.

    Addressing journalists at the command headquarters, Owoseni said the victims were attacked at a motor park in Gboko.

    He said the victims were set ablaze by the hoodlums.

    “It is a pure act of criminality which has no ethnic or religious coloration. Those behind the dastard act will be apprehended and dealt with according to the law of the land,” Owoseni said.

    The police commissioner said Governor Samuel Ortom has visited Gboko for on the spot assessment and a dust- to- dawn curfew has been imposed on the town.

    He warned that anybody found wandering between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. in Gboko would face the law.