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“… Sanusi and cohorts should apologize over attacks”
From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
The Forum of Concerned Benue Elders have flayed the incessant attacks in Benue state by herdsmen militia lamenting that current death figures have exceeded 6000 while more than 2.7 million persons have been displaced.
The elders led by Dr Laha Dzever, who stated this while briefing on Friday in Makurdi, was reacting to the Akwanaja massacre and other related killings in Benue and Nasarawa states.
The elders also noted that 18 Local Government Areas of the state are partly or wholly taken by herdsmen sending the indigenous out of their homes.
He noted that despite the huge number of casualties and destruction s due to herders attacks, Sanusi and his cohorts did not deem it fit to make a comment in condemnation.
“The Petition to Mr President by 52 eminent Fulani personalities led by the deposed Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido concerning the recent bombing at Akwanaja community in Idoma Local Government Areas of Nasarawa state onnthen24 January, 2023, came to us as a surprise.”
Dzever said most disturbing was their allegation that Governor Ortom was responsible for the attack having used the Livestock Guards to carry out the genocide.
He pointed out that the bombardments in the area was a feat which could only be achieved by the military which was not controlled by the Benue government.
“As elders, we should be guided by the truth and must reasonably apply caution in matters of security and ethnicity in this country.
“What Sanusi and his group said was a false narrative against the guards because they cannot go outside their area of jurisdiction to operate.
“This shows how far these ethnically motivated elders can go in an attempt to blackmail and give the guards a bad name.
“The Benue State Livestock Guard is a body whose legitimacy has been severally’ challenged by pastoralists unnecessarily.
“It should be clearly understood that neither the Benue state government nor her agents have a hand in the Akwanaja bombings in Doma Local Government Area of Nassarawa State,” he said.
The forum further stated that the state Livestock Guards are legally established to enforce the Open Grazing and Ranches Establishment Law to protect livestock and crop farmers in the State saying “no matter the call for its proscription by herdsmen, it will continue to perform her legitimate duty.
The elders who said they were aware of renewed threats by herders to attack parts of the state called on Security agencies to move in quickly to avert the looming dangers just as they called on Sanusi and his cohorts to tender an unreserved apology to Governor Ortom and Benue state.
