MILITARY INVASION OF KONSHISHA
-Victims Count Loses
Jem Vershima
The military invasion of some communities in Shangev- Tiev part of Konshisha local government has left Bonta, Gbinde, Tse Ayom in Mbagusa/Mbatser council ward; Aku, Tse Buruku and Gungul and environs in Mbakyaise council ward and Adoka, Kyor and Agidi in Ugambe Iwarnyam council in shambles. Structures destroyed include the palace of Chief Lazarus Unaha Koko, the oldest chief in Benue state.
The military high command said the soldiers were in search of 12 of its personnel allegedly killed by bandits in the area during a peace keeping mission. The aim the command also said aims to fish and the bandits. This however is not unconnected with the lingering land dispute between Okpute in Oju local government and Bonta of Konshisha local government.
In their bid to recover the weapons and ammunitions collected from the murdered military together with their corps as well as to fish out those perpetrators of the evil act, the men of Nigerian military lodged a retaliatory attack on Bonta, Tse Ayom and Gbinde with the aid of aircraft and burnt down the three settlements to ashes killing innocent people numbering to twenty persons with many displaced.
Ven Dr. Isaac Buruku, a retired priest with the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion said the allegation from the defense headquarters that those communities burnt down are places where the bandits were hiding was not true. He counted his losses ranging from destruction of his duplex worth 8million and other properties.
Another victim, Bro. Daniel Tamave (KSM) said the invasion led to the displacement of the chief custodian of Tiv tradition, Chief Lazarus Unaha Koko, the district head of Iwarnyam council ward.
Consequently, the invasion according to the resident has brought in wanton hardship as food and other valuables were destroyed. Farmers are also afraid to go to the farms for fear of the military, he said.
Following the invasion, the government of Benue State has held marathon meetings to end the crisis. Meanwhile, the exact number of casualties is yet to be established as there are different accounts.
