From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
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Benue State Government has warned the people of Mbaivur and Mbasombo communities in Gwer East Local government Area, (LGA) of the state who have been having communal clashes since 2020 not to take up arms against one another as it is being allegedly planned.
Special Adviser to Governor Hyacinth Alia on Security and Strategic Liaison, Lt. Col Alex Igbaya Anshungu (Rtd), told newsmen after a closed door meeting with the stakeholders from Mbaivur and Mbasombo in his office on Friday that the government had received intelligence that one of the communities was planning to launch attack on another tomorrow at the burial of a man who was allegedly killed during the crisis about five months ago.
“We have received an intelligence report that there is likely to be some kind of outbreak of violence. That Mbasombo wants to bury one of their persons who lost his life in one of the crisis and they are assuming that somebody killed him and they are thinking that they will use some other means to bury the person like the traditional means they used to do in those days.
“But we have discovered that these are not actually cogent reasons and we are appealing to them to calm down and follow the law. Enough blood has been shed in this state and anybody who destroys life will face the music. We pray that there should be peace in the area, they should sheath their swords”, he said.