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…This is unacceptable – Alia
From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
The residents of Mbaikyor, Mbalom, Gwer East Local Government Area (LGA) of the state who were massacred recently by armed herdsmen have been buried.
The 17 “Martyrs of the Anti-Open Grazing Law in Mbaikyor” were given a mass burial at Mbaikyor, Mbalom, Gwer East LGA of the state on Tuesday, April 8, 2024.
Speaking during the burial, Governor Hyacinth Alia vowed that it was the last time such an ugly incident will occur in any of Benue community as his administration is working round the clock across security strategies to put a stop to herders attack in the state.
Recall that on Thursday, March 7, 2024, armed herdsmen attacked Mbaikyor community, where they killed some residents including a retired WO2 Army Officer and a little boy.
Governor Alia who was represented by his Deputy, Barr. Sam Ode, sympathized with the people saying “Today is a sad day in the history of Benue State; to line up caskets like this is unacceptable. I am so sad and my heart is heavy to see this kind of spectacle that shouldn’t have happened.”
Governor Alia stated that one of the best solutions that would end the increased attacks by armed herdsmen on unarmed farmers in the state was the formation of vigilante groups.
Alia however said, “Security is not for Government alone because there is no one that can protect you like yourself; you need to have a Joint Security Taskforce or vigilante groups that would be properly profiled and handed over to Government to handle them. That is the solution to the insecurity we are facing in the state”, he emphasized.
Besides that, the Governor pledged to construct the road that passes through the axis to ease the movement of security agencies to the area in times of emergencies, adding that the community was also ripe for a police station.
While Governor Alia said he intends to meet with with families of the bereaved after the burial, he prayed that there would never be a reoccurrence of same.
Speaking, Elias Audu, member, Benue House of Assembly representing Gwer East wondered why despite the availability of fighter planes to tackle such attacks, security did not live up to their billings.
He advised that the relevant security agency should be reprimanded because they would have intervened in the crisis, using fighter helicopters in such a situation, adding that they didn’t when his people were under siege for over three hours.
Audu however appreciated Governor Alia for all he has done since the advent of the incident, including the Easter distribution of food and non food materials to the victims’ families.
The lawmaker also conveyed to the bereaved families, the condolences of the Speaker, Aondona Dajoh, and his delight that Governor Alia was working towards arresting insecurity in the state.
He prayed that there would not be a repeat of such an incident that would lead to the mass burial of the people of his constituency.
President, Masev Development Association, Prof. Vitalis Tarhule, who noted that the primary responsibility of government was the protection of lives and property, appealed to government to endeavor to protect the people.
He added that similar attacks had occured in 2014, 2018 and 2024, bringing to a total about 40 lives that were lost, insisting that there was need to establish a security post in Mbaikyor to check the unwholesome activities of armed herders.
Chairman, Association of Mbaikyor Sons in Diaspora, Simon Kofi told the governor that his people had apprehended two herders and handed them over to the police due to their nefarious activities.
He explained that their crime was that they told the herders not to come back to the community again, a situation which prompted the attack on his kinsmen.
Kofi urged the state government to nip insecurity in the but and also construct access road to the community as well as deploy qualified healthcare personnel to the existing primary healthcare center in their community for proper healthcare service delivery.
Earlier, an interdenominational service was conducted for the victims of the attack by Pastors and Reverend Fathers before the final interment.
