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From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
Benue State has had a bad taste of communal crisis, with some recurring more often than others.
While the state government has been doing all it can to ensure that the people enjoy peace and cohabit amicably with their neighbours, in some communities, the crises seem to have defied all efforts to find lasting solutions.
Our correspondent reports that the crisis between the Bonta and Ukpute commuties in Konshisha and Oju local government areas of the state is one of such perennial communal clashes in the state.
It was gathered that the lingering crisis, which started in 1997 over land dispute, has claimed several lives, with wanton destruction of properties worth billions of naira.
Despite efforts by government and some other organizations to resolve the matter, the crisis has continued interminently over the years.
The conflict was renewed on July 5 and lasted till July 19, 2024, leading to the death of 24 persons. This was about one year after they signed an agreement to live in peace with one another.
As at the last count, no fewer than 16 persons were reportedly killed and properties worth millions of naira destroyed, just as economic and social activities like farming and trading have suffered setbacks.
Some community members who didn’t want to be named said, in spite of the truce, people from both communities continue to trespass on each other’s land. They also stated that insincerity about the point of boundary demarcation, criminality and payment of taxes to a different local government area other than the supposed local government area of origin, among others, were responsible for the continued crisis.
Worried by the trend, a non-governmental organization, Elim Christian Vocational Training Centre (Elim CVTC), has waded in to find lasting solution to the crisis between warring Bonta and Ukpute communities.
The organization, on July 29, hosted stakeholders from both communities, including youth leaders, traditional rulers, women and farmers’ groups, to a peaceful meeting in Makurdi, the state capital.
The meeting was to bring all players to a round table discussion to enable everyone know they can play a role in finding solutions to their problems.
The meeting called on the youths of Bonta and Ukpute to sheathe their swords and embrace peace permanently.
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During deliberations, the stakeholders, resolved that there should be no more road blockage and killing of people from both sides.
It was also agreed that the aggrieved actors should cultivate the spirit of forgiveness, love, and embrace peaceful coexistence, just as they made intercessory prayers, hugged one another and ate together, demonstrating peace and reconciliation.
Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, the executive director, Elim CVTC, Mr. Emmanuel Egbodo, advised Bonta and Ukpute people to use the Malawian approach in which two warring communities solved their problem by willingly dropping arms to embrace peace without the use of the big-stick approach by the government.
He tasked the stakeholders to go back and preach peace to farmers in their immediate communities as agreed upon at the meeting.
He also called on the entire people of Oju and Konshisha LGAs to pray and support Gov. Hyacinth Alia’s administration that has been making efforts to restore peace across the state.
He said: “We should not stop as people of Benue to pray for the state. We have a governor who has been fighting alone all the time to ensure that there is peace and development in Benue State. So, let us comply with whatever the state is doing so that we can see more development and peace will be restored to the state.”
Earlier, in his presentation, the president, Society for Peace Studies and Practice, and lead facilitator at the peace talk, Mr. Nathaniel Awuapila, urged members of the Bonta and Ukpute communities not to allow themselves to be used by manipulators to fight wars that they will only take advantage of.
He lamented that no crisis in Benue State has ever been resolved successfully because the affected communities always push it to politicians who use the situation to politik successfully while crisis lingers on.
“The first thing is for the communities to fully understand the causes of the issues around them, the actors, the dynamics in the situation and to also understand the truth, whether there is a manipulative factor that works against them, which is making them so fragmented, so divided, and unable to work together.
“When people gain knowledge and understand the causes of their problems, they can, together, look for sustainable solutions. We are hoping that, at this meeting, they are able to identify the causes of their problems and they are able to agree on a way forward.”
He further advised them to be open-minded, sincere, honest and identify all the key actors in this situation and make sure that they are involved in proffering solutions to the problem, saying: “If you leave one person behind, you can’t find the sustainable peace you are looking for.”
At the end of the meeting, Ukpute and Bonta stakeholders were seen smiling and hugging each other, signifying love, brotherliness, peace and reconciliation.
