From Noah Ebije, Kaduna, Rose Ejembi, Makurdi, Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has said that he is withdrawing from all political activities until the problem of herdsmen invasion of the Benue valley is over.
The governor’s resolve is coming as condemnations from Fulani groups trailed the killings and mayhem in some communities in the state.
Those who came hard on perpetrators of the attacks in which about 20 people were killed and scores injured include the umbrella organization of the Fulani, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore (MAKH) and Fulani youths, who urged the Federal Government to urgently find solution to the causes of the problem.
Ortom, during the emergency stakeholders meeting held at the new banquet hall of the Government House in Makurdi, said: “I have decided to withdraw from every political activities until this problem is over. I cannot be a leader over dead people. 2019 is in God’s hand. This time, there is need for synergy, cooperation and unity among every Benue people across party lines.”
Governor Ortom said that the mortuary of the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) is filled up with corpses of victims of the recent Fulani attacks on some communities in two local government areas of the state.
Ortom disclosed that when he led the Minister of Interior, Lt. General Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd), who was on an assessment visit to the state to the morgue of BSUTH on Thursday, the place was filled up with corpses.
The Governor lamented that only on Thursday, ten more corpses were recovered in three different communities of Anyii, Tombo and Tswarev all in Logo local government area following another attack in the area while one other corpse was also recovered from Guma.
He revealed further that the burial process for the dead would soon hold starting with a three-day mourning which would culminate in a burial service to be held at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) Square in Makurdi.
While noting that the issue at hand is beyond party politics, he said for the first time in many months, he had to personally call former Governor Gabriel Suswam and former Senate President David Mark to invite them for the emergency stakeholders meeting, but was told the former governor traveled out of the country.
He alleged that the herdsmen were not coming just for grazing, but to take over the land. “These people are not coming for grazing but for occupation. It is not about grazing of cattle but about taking over the land,” he said.
The governor revealed that already, additional trouops had been deployed to Benue even as the Deputy Inspector General of Police ((DIG) Habila Joshak has also arrived the state with a chopper for surveillance, adding that a special anti terrorist force of the police whose operation would be beyond the shores of Benue State would be arriving the state today.
Various stakeholders who spoke at the meeting including former Senate President Ameh Ebute, Prof. David Iornem, Gen. Lawrence Onoja (retd.), Chief Edward Ujege among others stressed the need for everyone to support the state government in the onerous task of bringing the incessant attacks by herdsmen to an end.
Meanwhile, the Fulani socio-cultural organization, the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, has condemned the recent attacks in some communities in the state, suspected to have been executed by Fulani herdsmen.
Its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Yusuf Ardo, said in a statement yesterday that the killings, which, according to him, was carried out by “irresponsible elements” was unfortunate and condemnable to all.
He said that Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore is an association that was for peace, love, unity and harmony in Nigeria, adding that it had neither instigated nor supported violence and would never do so.
He said: “We are peace loving people, we believed in love for one another. In this regard, any Fulani pastoralist that does not believe in peace is not part of us.”
It however appreciated the quick response of the Federal Government. It also suggested that security agencies arrest the perpetrators of the incident and bring them to justice.
Also, Fulani youths under the aegis of Jonde Jam Fulani Youth Association of Nigeria (JAFUYAN), called on President Muhammadu Buhari to find lasting solution to crisis between farmers and Fulani herdsmen in Benue State and other parts of the country.