MACBAN Benue chairman

Bandits blamed
Caution against reprisals

More condemnations have trailed the attack and killing of the chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Benue State, Ardo Risku Muhammed, and his associate.

Ardo Risku was ambushed and killed at Okwudu, Igoli, in Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA), by some assailants while returning from a peace meeting in Ohimini Local Government Area.

During a press conference on Sunday, the Special Adviser to Governor Hyacinth Alia on Security and Internal Affairs, Chief Joseph Har, alongside the nine local government chairmen of Benue South Senatorial District, strongly condemned the assassination of Risku, describing it as unacceptable.

Har lamented that the death came at a time the state was enjoying relative peace, observing that, for the past six months, the state had not witnessed any bloodbath resulting from armed herders’ attacks.

He described the late Risku as an advocate of peace and condoled with his family and members of MACBAN over his unfortunate death.

He said, “We dissociate ourselves with this dastardly incident. It is not Idoma agenda or state but criminal elements. We urge security agencies to work round the clock to identify his killers.”

The Security Adviser appealed to individuals and groups to resist taking the law into their own hands but remain calm and law-abiding, saying: “I want to appeal to MACBAN members who are highly aggrieved not to take the law into their hands. Let the peace we are enjoying not be raptured.”

Chairman of Agatu LGA, Melvin Ejeh, also condemned the killing and distanced the Idoma nation from the act, adding that it was neither calculated nor premeditated but carried out by criminal elements bent on causing crisis in Idoma land.

Ejeh, who is the chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Benue State, cautioned against any reprisal, saying it would not be in the interest of any group.

The chairman noted, “For us in the state, this is a very sad day. For criminals to brutally murder a man who is known for peace, a man who has contributed so much to peace and development in various states. For criminals to take the law into their hands, to brutally kill him, is an action that we completely condemn in Idoma land.”

He said, “Any reprisal attack would affect innocent persons. No sensible person will kill Ardo Risku. We stand with the family and every Benue member. We will ensure that the culprits are apprehended and paraded in the full glare of the media.”

Also, the Chairman of Ohimini LGA, Gabriel Adole, explained that he had travelled to Lagos on that fateful day and was preparing to return to Benue when he received the news of Ardo Risku’s death.

Adole said he enjoyed a peaceful relationship with the deceased, maintaining that he always preached peaceful coexistence between the people and herders.

He said, “His death is not orchestrated or done by any Idoma person. We beg to be allowed to fish out the perpetrators.”

The Otukpo LGA Chairman, Maxwell Ogiri, described the death of the MACBAN leader as a rude shock, coming at a time when plans had been made to deepen peace in the council.

He said, “We totally condemn the murder and assure the family of quick intervention to apprehend the culprits. In recent times, we have been engaging with him for peace.

“I want to say that the elements among us in our society who do not want this peace to be witnessed are the ones perpetrating this killing. We urge citizens of our area to be law-abiding. Nobody should take the law into their hand as the security agencies are up day and night to see how the perpetrators will be brought to justice.”