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Tag: Benue

  • Suspected herdsmen kill two farmers in Benue community

    Suspected herdsmen have reportedly killed two farmers at Iorza village in Gaambetiev, Logo Local Government Area in Benue Northeast Senatorial District.

    The victims are a fish farmer, Henry Zozo, and an Anyiin-based motorcycle mechanic, Emeka Egwu.

    The incident reportedly occurred at the weekend.

    Anyiin is the country home of former Governor Gabriel Suswam.

    Police spokesperson Moses Yamus, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), told The Nation on phone that he was attending a course in Jos, the Plateau State capital, and had not got information on the killings.

    Narrating how the killings happened, a community leader and former Media Aide to Suswam, Chief Joseph Anawah said suspected herdsmen ambushed the two men on Anyiin-Wukari road and killed them.

    Anawah said communities in Gaambetiev were enjoying peace until the suspected herdsmen started returning with their cattle.

    He said armed herdsmen were camped at Arufu village, a settlement sharing boundary with Benue.

    The community leader urged security agents to protect lives and property of the residents.

    Logo Local Government Area has been under herdsmen attacks until Operation Whirl Stroke began operation.

  • Corrupt leaders won’t escape jail, says Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday in Abuja said leaders who undermine the economy by denying workers their benefits, while stuffing personal accounts with public funds will not escape the current anti-corruption dragnet.

    He made the remark while receiving All Progressives Congress (APC) delegation from Benue State, led by Sen. George Akume.

    He said the Federal Government’s bailout to states and Paris Club funds were basically to alleviate the sufferings of the people, describing misappropriations as unjust and unfair to workers.

    Buhari, according to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, said “I honestly don’t know how people sleep when workers have not been paid.

    “The workers have to pay rent, buy food, send their children to school and they have healthcare to take care of.

    “I assure you that my main interest is all Nigerians in all parts of the country. Therefore, if anybody who tries to create any impression that I prefer any group across ethnicity or religion let him dare me by being caught red handed stealing public funds.  I will deal with him,’’ he said.

    The President told the APC delegation that the Federal Executive Council had been monitoring the plight of workers across the country and utilisation of the bailout and Paris Club funds by some states.

    “I thank you for your courage to come and see me. This visit has resuscitated our morale,’’ he said.

    President Buhari said the Federal Government had made significant progress in diversifying the economy by investing in agriculture and encouraging more individuals and entrepreneurs to go into farming, pointing out that Nigeria would soon become self-sufficient in feeding its citizenry.

    “We are proud of what we have achieved with resources at our disposal,’’ he added

    He also listed ongoing road, rail, sea port, airport and power projects as hallmarks of his administration’s commitment to improving lives.

    President Buhari said the Ministry of Agriculture and the Central Bank of Nigeria will be further motivated to work together and support all interested Nigerians to take up farming on commercial scale.

    He noted that the killings across the country, including in Benue, Zamfara and Taraba, were carried out by “ungodly’’ people who had no religious or ethnic inclinations.

    “We know about herders. The ones we knew carried sticks, and sometimes cutlasses to cut foliage for their cattle. We now have people who carry AK 47s and pretend they are herdsmen.

    “We are working hard to secure our borders. We are going to see how the old cattle routes can be opened. We will control movement. Please beg our people to be patient,’’ he said.

    The President pointed out that security personnel were already uncovering the network of the killers and arresting them.

    In his remarks, the leader of the delegation said the narrative in the state about the Federal Government was fast changing for the positive as more people had discovered the good intentions of President Buhari to secure lives and property, and alleviate poverty.

    “Your Excellency, Mr President, we know your commitment to Nigeria. We know how much you love the country and will be ready to die for the good cause,’’ Sen. Akume said.

    Akume, a former governor of Benue State, told the President that APC members had started sensitization and mobilization of voters for the 2019 elections, noting that more had accepted the party and its manifesto in the state.

    He commended the President for the flag-off of the dualization of the Abuja-Keffi-Lafia-Makurdi road, urging more attention on the Makurdi-Otukpo road and the water projects in Gboko and Otukpo.

    “You have worked hard to stop herdsmen and farmers clashes in Benue. It is important to note that many people used religion and ethnicity to score cheap points. Religion was used in Benue for sinister purposes,’’ he added.

    Read Also: ‘Buhari deserves a second term’

    On corruption, Sen. Akume said the President has made significant difference by tackling perpetrators.

    Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Akume said “This is a very special delegation of leaders and stakeholders of the APC Benue State to the president. We came to solidarise with him in total sense of involvement and commitment to his re-election. A man who has worked so tirelessly to turn around the fortunes of this country, deserves to be supported by all well meaning Nigerians. This has nothing to do with politics.

    “I am from the APC family but the truth is that, within three and half years, what has been achieved under this government is monumental, you cannot compare this with what we have witnessed in the last administration which we always refer to as the Lancia regime, those of you who speak French will know the implication of a referring to a government as ancia regime.
    “Be it in the area of infrastructure you can see what is going on in the rail transportation, yesterday (Thursday), we were Keffi to flag off the Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi axis of dualization of that road. This is something that has been on the drawing board since 1999 when the PDP came to power.
    “If you look at the performance of this government against the backdrop of what happened in the area of power, again you will give kudos to this administration.
    “I recalled that in 2005 contracts were awarded for the purpose of increasing the power generation in the country. We were told and we believed because we all supplied money – the local governments, states and federal, pulled resources together to ensure the increase in the power output in this country. And by the calculation of government of the day, by the end of 2007, 6,000 megawatts of power would have been added to the national grid, my God. By the end of May 2015, were still hovering between 3,000 and 5,000 megawatts, the story is now different.
    “When you talk of security, Boko Haram has taken over virtually Borno and Yobe States, that is a different story today. Yes, occasional incursions in some of the areas by Boko Haram remnants. even American which is the most powerful in the country has not been able to subdue as it were the gorilla elements in Afghanistan. They are still hitting whether they the ISIS or the other group..
    “So our performance is much better. I’m not saying we are America but I am saying that when you talk of Gorilla warfare, there is no way you can completely wrought it up within two days or one year. So invariably, we are on a very safe ground.
    “Look at agriculture, so many initiatives in that area. So when you look at it this cumulatively, you will know that this government is working, three and half years and the results are spectacular compared to what we witnessed in the past 16 years of the PDP administration and they are coming back again, they want to take over.
    “Let’s be honest, they have no message. If people could share $2.5 billion meant to buy arms and ammunition and kit our sons and daughters before sending them to arms way, then of course those people do not deserve to see this place again.
    “Those people do not deserve that. And to show you how wicked these people were, some of these guys who managed to escape, were still arrested and tried for escaping, some of the soldiers for escaping, why did you escape? So, the difference is very clear.” he said
    On what is being brought on board, especially towards payment of salaries, he said “When you talk about herdsmen and farmers clash, it’s a story saying good bye.  Have you heard of farmers/herders clashes in Benue again? No. We know those who were behind that, government was behind that. I am talking about the state government through the Livestock Guards, they knew what was going on.
    “So it is now a thing of the pass. And as for him, certainly he knows that there is fraud on the payroll I have been in government before, everything that is going there is fraudulent in Benue State and the people are simply tired on this misinformation that they have been receiving, the narrative has changed, it is not question of herdsmen, we are not talking about religious and ethnic bigotry, we are talking about performance of government.
    “If you cannot pay salaries, if you cannot pay pensions, if you cannot gratuity, what are you doing there? If you cannot provide infrastructure what are you doing there, what is the basic purpose of government? It is the welfare of the people, security for the people.
    “If you say your slogan is my people first and we are telling you no my people last because you are chopping there money. So, it is not my people first, it is my pocket first in Benue State.” he said
    Speaking on his chances at winning forthcoming election, the Benue APC Governorship candidate, Emmanuel Jime, said “I am running for governor believing that the responsibility of government is the security and welfare of our people.
    “There is no doubt in my mind that we have had security situation in Benue which is what you are referring to regarding this issue of herdsmen and our farmers and that situation has been on for quite sometime but it will be fair to say that at the moment that the security situation in Benue State has been stabilized and we are receiving stability so much now that we are no more talking about herdsmen/farmers clashes. And the reason for that is obvious, it is due in part to the fact that Mr. President has actually stepped in.” he stated

  • Benue Govt calls for investigation of death of five family members

    Benue State Acting Governor, Engineer Benson Abounu has ordered full investigations into the  killing of five members of a family in Makurdi on Friday night.

    Abounu who described as horrific the killing of Mr Nicholas Adetsav, a staff of Makurdi local government council and his entire family, said the suggestion that the late wife carried out the killings before taking her own life is mind-boggling and needs to be properly investigated.

    He has consequently instructed the Commissioner of Police to carry out full investigation with the aim of unraveling what actually happened.

    Engr Abounu said  he is very saddened by the event of Friday night and the loss of five precious lives. He condemned the killings, describing it as a sin against God and humanity.

    In a statement signed by his Media aide Ogaba Ede Ogaba, the Acting Governor commiserated with the relations and family of the deceased and prayed that such a horrendous thing never happens again.

    On Friday  night a house wife Mrs . Adetsav allegedly killed her husband  and slaughtered her three children before committing suicide .

    Those who spoke to The Nation at The scene of the incident said it was not possible for a mother to have slaughtered her children .

    They called for proper investigation into the matter .

  • FG tasked on lasting solution to flood onslaught

    The federal government has been tasked to pursue ways that will bring lasting solutions to the onslaught of flooding across communities in Nigeria.

    The director of the Center for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), Comrade Sheriff Mulade, made the call in a statement made available to newsmen in Warri on Wednesday.

    According to him, not only are properties worth millions of naira lost to the ravaging flood, several lives have been yearly, cut short.

    It will be noted that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NMA) had warned of the impending disaster in 11 states including Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Kaduna, Kwara, Nasarawa, Yobe and Zamfara. However, not much was done by relevant government agencies to avert the situation.

    Mulade, in his statement, therefore appealed to the federal and state governments, international civil society organizations, private sectors as well as well-meaning individuals to join CEPEJ to provide assistance, especially in resettling flood victims in the country.

    He said “As a non-governmental organization with a special focus on environmental justice, we are sensitizing the people living within the affected areas and call for adequate relief materials to the victims and to properly resettle them.

    “CEPEJ is also by this means advocating that the federal government provides continued assistance in the resettlement efforts towards finding a permanent solution to the problem of flooding in Nigeria. We are deeply saddened that several lives have been lost to the annual flooding in the affected areas, homes and farmlands have been destroyed, means of livelihood brought to an abrupt halt and farm produce worth millions of naira have also been destroyed.

    Read Also: Flood kills 20-year-old in Anambra

     

    “CEPEJ hopes that as part of the Federal Government’s long term measures, the construction of buffer dams on the long stretch of the Niger be considered, to intermittently break wild water tides and avoid future re-occurrence”, he said.

    Noting that many affected persons are yet to be reached with aids, he added that suffering is on the increase for cases where it was practically impossible to send relief materials or evacuate the victims.

    In September, a national disaster was declared in the worst four affected states; Anambra, Delta, Kogi and Niger, with NEMA releasing a report that about 327,052 people are affected in the flooded states with over 70 casualties.

    Also, an outbreak of malaria and water borne diseases has been reported, just as displaced persons are currently being hosted in emergency shelters such as local government offices, schools, stadiums, churches and internally displaced persons (IDP) hostels built by Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation.

  • Photo story of Benue’s forgotten children

    A Childhood Lost...

  • Military to militia groups: Vacate Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa

    Authorities of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have given all militia groups terrorizing residents of Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa up to December to vacate the states or risk forceful eviction.

    The military operation is responsible for maintaining peace and order in the three states currently facing threats of insurgency.

    Read Also:Blame military for lopsided political structure -Akande

    Commander of the military operation, Maj.-Gen. Adeyemi Yekini, announced the deadline while speaking to newsmen on Tuesday in Makurdi.

    Yekini said that insurgents still hiding in areas currently inaccessible in the three states due to rough terrain, would be flushed out before December.

    According to him, the rains and the bad roads have halted our advances into the hinterlands where pockets of the insurgents are still hiding.

    He, however, assured that with the dry season fast approaching, there would be no limits to advances and attacks on the insurgents.

    The commander said “so far, we have facilitated a total number of 150, 000 IDPs to their homes in Benue State” and assured that the IDPs would be given adequate protection in their various villages.

    He said that the herdsmen militia and other militia groups in the state, especially the Gana gang, must vacate the states or risk forceful eviction.

    He attributed the delay in the return of some IDPs to their homes to security and socio-economic challenges and appealed to the various state governments to support efforts to resettle the displaced.

    “It’s not because of security challenges alone that IDPs are not returning home, people are there as economic IDPs because the resources to actually go back on their own without some form of assistance is not available for them.

    “So, I think that the state government should be looking at the model that was adopted by Nasarawa state whereby when the people were going back home, the government intervened and provided some seedlings.

    “The government also gave them building materials, and even cash, to enable them go back home.

    “Even those who have returned home, many of them still return to the camps to eat in the day time.

    “They’re not permanently in the camp; many of them are just there because of lack of resources for them to return to their homes and not because of security,” Yekini explained.

    He also confirmed the killing of the wife of Gana and 12 members of his gang, adding that the operation had neutralized no fewer than 100 criminal elements in the state.

  • Air Force targets 500 Special Forces for Nasarawa, Benue

    THE Nigerian Air Force is targeting the deployment of 500 Special Forces personnel and construction of an Helipad for helicopter gunships for the Nasarawa-Benue states corridor as parts of Federal Government efforts to enhance security in the area, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar has disclosed.

    According to Air Marshal Abubakar, the development was necessitated by the need to curb the spate of attacks in the area and sustain the current peace.

    The Air Chief made the remark yesterday during the inauguration of the 21 Quick Response Wing (21QRW) at Agatu, Benue State

    Air Marshal Abubakar said the unit, which is under the control of the 211 Quick Response Group, Owerri, was established to further enhance NAF’s ability to respond to internal security threats within the Nasarawa-Benue states corridor, working in synergy with other security agencies.

    The Air Force boss, who inspected the renovated office and residential accommodation at the 21 QRW Base and handed over a borehole constructed by the NAF to the Obagaji Community in Agatu, was welcomed to Agatu by the Chairman of the local government, Hon. Comfort Echida.

    Abubakar was accompanied by the Air Officer Commanding Special Operations Command (AOC SOC), Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Samson Akpasa, and other senior officers from NAF Headquarters.

    In a statement signed by the spokesman of the Air Force, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, Air Marshal Abubakar was quoted as saying that he was delighted to be in Agatu to personally activate the 21 QRW.

    He noted that the decision to establish the QRW in Agatu, as well as the QRWs, established at Nguroje in Taraba State and Doma in Nasarawa State, was taken following thorough analysis of the threat environment in the area.

    Based on this, a request was made to the Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, through the Honourable Minister of Defence (HMOD), who graciously approved the establishment of the unit.

    The CAS therefore thanked the C-in-C for approving the establishment of the unit and providing the necessary resources to make it a reality. He noted that the establishment of the unit would contribute immensely towards curbing spate of attacks in the area while ensuring that peace is sustained.

    The Chief of the Air Staff stressed that the NAF would continue to emplace additional facilities, equipment and manpower in the QRW to enable it function effectively and fulfil its mandate.

  • Ebonyi Government wades into border crisis with Benue

    The Ebonyi Government has urged Ekwashi and Ukwuagba Ngbo Autonomous communities of Ohaukwu LGA in the state to stay calm as government was working to resolve the attack on them on Tuesday.

    The state governor, Chief Dave Umahi made the call in Ngbo on Wednesday when he visited the communities attacked by Agila, a bordering community in Benue.

    Umahi, represented by his deputy, Mr Eric Igwe, led a team of security agencies including the Police, military, the Department of State Services and stakeholders on Border Peace and Conflict Resolution and media.

    He confirmed that five persons were killed while some farmlands were destroyed by the Benue community over a land dispute.

    Umahi frowned at the level of destruction noting  that in spite of efforts by Ebonyi Government to resolve the crisis, the Agila people went on to attack its neighboring communities.

    He said that more measures would be taken to strengthen the agreement between the two states while he called on Federal government for quick intervention on the warring communities.

    He appreciated the Ngbo community on their adherence for not giving room for reprisal.

    The governor said that local vigilance groups would be empowered to assist and accompany farmers whose farmlands are located at the dispute areas.

    He charged traditional rulers, coordinators, chairmen and other stakeholders from the areas to devise means to also enable farmers visit their farms.

    “I warn that no farmer should go to their farms alone without being accompanied by the local vigilance group.

    “Enough is enough. We will meet to take more measures because two wrongs cannot make a right but we will ensure lives are saved,” he said.

    The Chairman of Ohaukwu Local Government Area, Mr Clement Odah, who expressed dismay over the attack, said that the five persons killed include three females and two males whose bodies were recovered from the farm land.

    Odah said some persons were hospitalized while means of livelihood and farm lands were destroyed.

    He said that the frequency of the attack was becoming unbearable, in spite of all efforts made by the state government including a recent meeting held by the two states with a communique issued but the Agila reneged and attacked Ngbo people.

    “We need an end to this interstate crisis. Those killed, injured were in their farms to harvest before the attack,” Odah said.

    A regent of Ukwuagba Community, Mr Emmanuel Igboke, while narrating his ordeal, said that the circumstances were due to land issues.

    Igboke disclosed that the land dispute had been in existence immediately after the Nigerian Civil War.

    “The Agila people attacked them during harvest period. This issue has consumed lots of souls.

    “They cut off the women’s breast, arms, and legs of the men. You need to see the inhuman act,” the regent cried.

    He pleaded that the land be demarcated to avoid further attacks adding that an access road be constructed for them.

    Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Musa Kimo while condoling with the victims’ families and communities demanded their cooperation to the police.

    “We assure you that the crisis would be resolved but we appeal that your partnership will be needed,” he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that bodies of a female and a male victims were shown to the team. (NAN)

  • FG to commence N5000 cash transfer through NIPOST in Benue, Anambra, Nasarawa

    The Federal Government would soon commence payment of N5, 000 to vulnerable Nigerians in three states using the newly introduced financial services of the Nigeria Postal Services (NIPOST) for the cash transfer.

    The government said the package is under the present administration’s social welfare programme to help the poor and the needy in the society.

    Under the new contract, NIPOST is expected to dispense the N5000 cash to the poor in three states including Nasarawa, Benue and Anambra.

    The Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer of NIPOST , Barrister Bisi Adegbuyi made these disclosures  in Oyo town during the 2018 World Post Day celebration.

    He said NIPOST was able to win the contract due to its innovative programme and use of technology to advance its services to the people across the country.

    He said: “For instance, the National Cash Transfer Office which caters for the vulnerable, the poor in the society awarded NIPOST the job to transfer cash to the poor.

    “They give them N5000, every month and because NIPOST has transformed and leveraging on technology, we were awarded the cash disposal of N5000 in Benue, Nasarawa and Anambra.

    “Who are we serving, we are serving the poor, the post is ready to deliver the goods to bring happiness.”

    Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi commended NIPOST for its giant strides in recent years, describing the event as very significant in the history of the agency.

    Speaking through his representative, Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu, Adeyemi said NIPOST has remained the only agency that has continued to connect the people, facilitating communication and enabling the people to stay in touch.

     

  • Flood: Official calls for proper dredging of Rivers Niger, Benue

    Mr Ladein Omiebi, Chairman, Flood Management Committee, Patani Local Government Area, Delta State has called on the Federal Government to carry out a proper dredging of the River Niger to prevent recurring flood disasters.

    Omiebi made the call during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Patani, Delta State.

    According to him, proper dredging of the Rivers Niger and Benue will increase the capacity of the rivers to accomodate more water hence, reducing the frequency of the river flooding.

    He said that members of communities also have critical roles to play by keeping the water channels free of waste and anything that would cause blockage of the water channels.

    “I will suggest the Federal Government should dredge the river Niger properly, that would take care of the waters from overflowing because this is just river flood.

    “That would be one of the major solutions to this recurring flooding that has caused great disasters and has led to massive displacements and deaths across several states in the country.

    “ On our parts, we have our way of assisting the government, we are not keeping to environmental laws and by improper ways of waste disposal, canals are being blocked.

    “By the time we abide by environmental laws some of these problems will not arise’’, Omiebi said.

    Omiebi also called on those living in flood prone areas to always heed to early warnings of  relocating to higher grounds to mitigate their losses and most importantly, avoid any case of death.

    He said that following the early warnings from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Local Government Council also engaged in sensitisation and resettled of members of Patani Community to higher grounds.

    The Chairman pointed out that although some people heeded to the warning and relocated, others have remained in their homes waiting for the worse to happen.

    Omiebi said that the Local Government was still engaging in vigorous enlightenment considering the health hazard and risk those in the communities are exposed to.

    He said that there have been reported cases of reptiles in some of the houses and malaria as a result of stagnant waters and broken sewages.

    He further explained that some people have remained in their homes for the fear of losing their property to vandals, which was the case after the 2012 flooding.

    Mrs Esther Edeghe, a retired Civil servant, also called on the government to do its best in preventing the reoccurrence of the flood.

    “Since this is river flooding, it can actually be mitigated if our rivers and oceans were constantly dredged.

    “Our rivers are not deep enough that is why when there is continuous rainfall, we suffer from serious flooding, especially we in the riverine communities.

    “The situation is critical as many of us lost property in 2012 and now we are losing more property again.

    “Even if we relocate to higher grounds, how many of our things can we pack? All we need is a permanent solution’’, Edeghe said.

    Edeghe also said that relief items should be extended to them that have remained in the communities explaining that she and her family have not relocated because the camp condition was not any better.

    She said that they that have remained in communities are also in need of food and non food items relief.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 10 out of the 20 LGAs in Delta state have been affected by the flood and 42,000 people currently displaced in the state. (NAN)