A commercial motorcyclist in Ukemberagya, Gaambe-Tiev Logo, Benue State, Ushahemba Mzaga Shia Gbugba, was yesterday killed by suspected Fulani Herdsmen at Tse-Aku.
The victim was returning home after dropping off a passenger at Tyo Affia.
His body has been deposited at the NKST Hospital mortuary in Anyiin.
The deceased is survived by his wife, son and parents.
The police said they were yet to get report of the incident. No arrest had been made last night.
The Acting Governor of Benue State, Benson Abounu, has described as unfortunate, the gas explosion at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Makurdi.
He spoke when he visited the school to assess the damage.
Abounu sympathised with the explosion victim, Miss Stella Merkyaa, who is receiving treatment at the Benue State Teaching Hospital. He promised to assist with her medical bill.
The deputy governor, who berated students’ for cooking in their rooms, urged the management to provide a suitable central kitchen and dining hall to prevent a recurrence.
School Head Mrs. Victoria Gusa said the explosion, which occurred on the 3rd floor of the female hostel, started from a cooking cylinder.
Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Executive Chairman Rev. Philip Tachin, has inaugurated the state Committee on National Personnel Audit of Public and Private Primary and Junior Secondary Schools.
Speaking during the inauguration at the SUBEB’s headquarters in Makurdi, the state capital, Tachin charged the committee to identify challenges of inadequate education data for effective implementation of programmes in the Basic Education sub-sector.
“It is the desire of the Federal Government to carry out the Personnel Audit in all the 36 states, including Benue,’’ he said, adding that the aim is to obtain comprehensive and reliable data on children; to obtain the number and qualification of teaching and non-teaching staff, to determine key performance indicators and to generate data for effective National and Global reportage in the Basic Education Sub-sector.
Members of the committee, include the state Director, National Population Commission, Mr Amee Tser; state Chairman, Parent-Teacher Association, Mr Benjamin Dugeri; representative of Quality Evaluator, Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs. Janet Angwe; Tyoor Mbatsen of Konshisha Local Government, and Zaki Nder Kuhwa. They appreciated the SUBEB’s management for finding them worthy to serve, promising to put in their best for the good of the Benue child.
Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has said lies peddled on the social media are giving Benue a negative image before the international community.
“Lies on social media give Benue a negative image before the international community. There is freedom of speech, but we want social media users to always verify information before posting or sharing,” he said.
Ortom spoke at Jato-Aka in Kwande, yesterday, at a thanksgiving in honour of the Executive Chairman, Benue Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), Mrs. Mimi Orubibi, who was conferred with the traditional title of Iwanger (shining light) of Kwande.
He advised social media users to use freedom responsibly.
Ortom acknowledged that Benue was going through some challenges, but they were being tackled.
“We have some challenges; salaries have not been regular, but God will soon provide solution to that problem,” he said.
The governor urged parents to support the government to fight substance abuse among pupils.
He explained that the anti-open grazing law was restricted to Benue, whose people collectively endorsed it at town hall meetings and through representatives at the House of Assembly.
He noted that appointing Orubibi as the state’s chief tax collector was a tough decision.
“Since the creation of Benue, only men had served as chief tax collectors; appointing a woman was not an easy task.
“For some time, I contemplated the issue but eventually allowed God’s will to prevail. I am happy that she has made me proud,” he said.
Orubibi thanked God and the governor for the appointment, noting that Ortom was the first to appoint a woman as a chief tax collector in the country.
She promised to put in her best to justify the confidence reposed on her.
The Benue State government has recruited about 3,344 vendors for its Home Grown School Feeding Programme.
Governor Samuel Ortom stated this yesterday at launch of the programme at the LGEA Primary School in Wurukum.
The governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Benson Abounu, lauded President Mohammadu Buhari and his Vice Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, for partnering the state.
He noted that the programme, targeted to benefit 5.5 million pupils across the country, will increase enrolment in public schools, improve their learning and health status.
According to him, N360 million will be disbursed to the cooks in the first phase of implementation, a situation which will create a multiplier effect. He added that the government had procured utensils and trained the women in preparation for the take-off of the programme.
Abounu urged the women to make judicious use of the opportunity given them for the success of the programme.
SIR: The Benue State law prohibiting open rearing and grazing of livestock unarguably marks a watershed in the historic struggle to halt the age long crises between farmers and Fulani herdsmen over land.
There has been an unending struggle by farmers to protect their farmland and crops from being forcefully taken over or destroyed by cattle in the name of grazing. On the other hand, the pastoralists have over time suggestively claimed the right of access to any land, especially in the lush green vegetation, whether farmland or not, to graze their animals without recourse to the permission or opinion of the land or crop owners.
While the herdsmen seek protection under the constitutional provision of citizens’ right to free movement and settlement in any part of the country, the farmers are quick to point out that the same constitution criminalises trespass and encroachment on other people’s property including land.
The result is the incessant avoidable crises between herdsmen and farmers.
The crisis is worse in Benue State where the last 10 years have witnessed sustained ferocious attacks on farming communities by marauding herdsmen who move about with sophisticated weapons unchallenged.
From Agatu to Gwer West, Gwer East to Makurdi, Guma to Buruku, Logo to Ukum, Tarka to Gboko, Katsina-Ala to Kwande, the blood of the innocent have been spewed and the landscape has been a picture of blood, tears and sorrow.
Efforts by past administrations and well-meaning stakeholders to find lasting solution to the seemingly intractable problem over the years have not achieved the desired objective. This is why when Governor Samuel Ortom, on assumption of office, began to champion the campaign for ranching of cattle and all other livestock, instead of open-grazing, he had the support of majority of Benue citizens most of who are directly or indirectly victims of the unwarranted attacks on communities of the State by herdsmen. The consensus is that once cattle are ranched, as is the practice in the other countries of the world, farmlands will no longer be encroached upon and crops no longer destroyed.
And it follows naturally that once there is no encroachment on farmlands and destruction of crops, there will no longer be crisis and people no longer have to be attacked and killed by the Herdsmen.
This is simply what the Prohibition of Open Rearing and Grazing of Livestock Law 2017 is all about. Only those who may perhaps have been benefitting from the crises in the past are, or can be against the law which has put paid to such benefits from the blood and toil of Benue people. It is only in this light that we can attempt a comprehension of the recent outburst and threats by the Cattle Breeders Association under the aegis of Miyetti Allah Cattle Kautal Hore over the law which has criminalized the penchant of some of their members to play God over people’s lives and property.
The outburst of the Group and its threats to fight the Law should worry all well-meaning Nigerians because the posture is not only provocative but offensive to the spirit and letter of the constitution which empowers state Houses of Assembly to make laws for the well-being of their people as long as such laws are not in conflict with the provisions of the constitution.
Kautal Hore’s claim that Fulani herdsmen were the first to occupy the Benue Valley is not only erroneous and fallacious but also a brazen attempt to re-write history! Benue indigenes must remain one on this issue because the threat by the herdsmen organization is a direct challenge to their existence.
Makurdi.
Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State Onov Tyuluugh is dead.
Tyuluuh died yesterday after a protracted illness.
Many, especially the APC family, described him as a great asset to the party, who will forever be remembered for his role in the change agenda.
Governor Samuel Ortom has commiserated with the deceased’s family and the party’s leadership. He described the late Tyuulugh as a dependable party leader and one of those whose selfless contributions led to the enthronement of the change administration in Benue State.
According to him, Tyuulugh’s legacy of ensuring a better Benue, where the rights and aspirations of the people take prominence, will not be forgotten.
He prayed God to grant the deceased eternal rest and give his family the fortitude to bear the loss.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has urged its personnel to work closely with officers of other security outfits for better inter agency collaboration in fighting crime and criminality.
Mr. Jonas Agwu, the Assistant Corps Marshall (ACM) and Zonal Commanding Officer (ZCO) of Zone 4 comprising Plateau, Benue and Nasarawa states, gave the charge on Tuesday in Lafia during familiarisation visit of the command in Nasarawa State.
Agwu, who was recently appointed as ZCO of Zone 4 was in the state to familiarise with officers of the various commands in the state.
He said cooperation and team work with other security outfits would go a long way to fight criminality in the country, especially along Nigerian highways used by some criminals to move from one city to the other to perpetuate dastardly acts.
He added that “we want to build very strong inter agency synergy. I believe I can build on what I have met on ground here. We have decided to make it a priority for everyone to know that no one can achieve success alone. We need support cooperation from others to achieve our goals.
“For instance, sometimes you see crashes occur in the deep night but because we are not armed, you need back up to assist you. These kind of situations and many more is why we are harping on strong inter agency collaboration.”
The zonal commanding officer also said that the FRSC was seriously considering capacity training for its officers and those of other security outfits to share ideas and better understand each other’s mandates for effective service delivery.
He said “capacity training will be a strong point where we bring in resource persons from some of these agencies who will help my men understand other security outfits better. We can also engage in joint road blocks and collaborations to achieve our mutual objectives.
“Whether it is police, the army, civil defence or road safety, we are all working for the good of the state and the countryat large. We must make it a priority.”
Agwu revealed that the FRSC would continue to use advocacy and public enlightenment to reach out to motorists and the public on issues bordering on road safety and regulations.
He warned officers against complacency at work and urged them to imbibe family values like openness, unity, oneness, dedication and commitment to achieve the set objectives of the command.
“We are families because we are in the same sector command and in the same state. Team work will guide us. That is why we need your contribution and support. Try and make this sector command the best in Zone 4. I also urge you to be at peace with the people of the state,” He said.
Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue, on Monday, warned that any herdsman, who decided to breach the anti-open grazing law would have to face the wrath of the law.
Ortom gave this warning in Makurdi while addressing members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Muslim community, who were protesting the threats issued by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association against the new law.
The governor said that the security agencies were ever ready to arrest anybody or group of persons that decided to resist the implementation of the law.
According to the governor, the law will be enforced fully in November after the grace period of transition which is to end in October.
Ortom said that any herdsman, who was not comfortable with the law was free to leave the state and settle where open grazing of animals was not prohibited.
He further warned that anybody rearing livestock must put them in ranches, adding that the law was meant to protect both the farmers and animals.
The governor explained that ranching was not only meant for cattle but all livestocks in order to prevent them from wandering into farmlands.
Earlier, the CAN chairman in Benue, Rev. Akpen Leva, said the herdsmen had co-existed with the Benue people harmoniously for decades and wondered why they had now resorted to the violation of the people’s rights.
Leva said that the law was not to undermine the economic or social interest of the herdsmen or any other ethnic nationality in Nigeria.
“The provision of the law for the establishment of ranches is to conform to global best practices for the management of livestock, which is also in the interest of the herdsmen.
“The anti-open grazing law is the most civilised and best option to resolve this perennial problem between our farmers and herdsmen, which has unleashed a serious crisis ever witnessed in the life of our society,” he said.
Also, Sheik Bala Ibrahim, who spoke on behalf of the Muslim community, called for the peaceful co-existence of residents of the state and stressed the need for every stakeholder to support the law.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief AuduOgbe, says Benue State salary wage bill is the third highest in the country.
Ogbe announced this in Makurdi at the opening of the First Benue Entrepreneurship Summit, with the theme “Made in Benue is possible”.
He explained that the difficulty being faced in salary payment in the state was largely due to the high wage bill inherited from the immediate past government for which Governor Ortom and his administration were consistently criticised.
The minister said the summit initiated by the Governor’s wife was important because it would help young people, especially those participating in the event to learn to be independent minded and self- sufficient, lauding Dr.Eunice Ortom for uplifting the youth through her pet project.
Meanwhile, Governor SamueOrtom has announced the release of N100million to support youth entrepreneurship development programme in the state.
Announcing this at the summit Ortomsaid the money, which is sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as loan,would be disbursed to interested persons as interest free to enable them pay with less pains.
On herdsmen hazard, the Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence Samuel KanuUche, said it is a pity that no herdsman has been arrested since they started killing innocent people across the country, adding that the church believes the present herdsmen that kill and ravage communities in Nigeria are different from the Nigeria herdsmen the country has known before.
He said, “Their mode of operation is similar to that of Boko-Haram and we suspect that they have strong connections with ISIS, the council therefore encourages the federal government to intensify efforts at stamping out the menace of the herdsmen”.