BENUE KILLINGS: THIS IS GENOCIDE, NOT COMMUNAL CLASH; TOR TIV TELLS TINUBU
By Eric. T Adah
The Tor Tiv V, His Royal Majesty, James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse, has told President Bola Tinubu that the Killings in Benue state are not clashes between herders and farmers, but a planned attack aimed at taking over Benue land.
Speaking at a meeting with Tinubu and stakeholders in Benue on Wednesday, the Tiv paramount ruler, who doubles as the Chairman of Benue State Traditional Council of Chiefs said many people had misunderstood the crisis, and this has led to wrong admonitions that Benue citizens should live peacefully with their neighbours.
Ayatse said, ” We do have grave concerns about the misinformation and misrepresentation of the security crisis in Benue state. Your Excellency, it’s not herders – farmers clashes, it’s not communal clashes, it’s not reprisal attacks or skirmishes “.
He described the violence as a ” calculated, well planned, full – scale genocide invasion and land – grabbing campaign by herder terrorists and bandits that has lasted for decades.”
The paramount ruler added that, ” wrong diagnosis will always lead to wrong treatment. We are dealing with something far more sinister than we think. It’s not about learning to live with your neighbours, it is dealing with a war.”
The meeting took place in Makurdi as the president came to pay a condolence visit to the people of Benue state to sympathise with the families of those who lost their loved ones. Tinubu also visited the survivors of the Yelewata attack who are currently receiving treatment at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi.
During the attack, at least, 200 people were brutally killed, following an overnight violence of gunmen which lasted for more than two hours.
Amnesty international also called for the government to end the ” almost daily bloodshed in Benue state”.
The attack, which occurred from late Friday into Saturday morning, took place in Yelewata, a border town in Benue state.
The Transmitter correspondent spoke with representatives of Amnesty International which has been documenting the alarming escalation of attacks across Benue state where gunmen have been on a killing spree with utter impunity.
“These attacks have been causing massive displacement and may affect food security as majority of the victims are farmers,” the rights group wrote.
They blamed the Nigerian authorities for failure to stem the violence which is costing people’s lives and livelihood. They also warned that without immediate action, many more lives may be lost,’ The organization added that many people were still missing from the attack.
Police spokesperson, Udeme Elder confirmed the attack and said the Police had engaged the attackers in a gunfight. However, locals feared that more than 200 people had been killed in the attack.
It is terribly sad, many people have died,” Amineh Liapha Hir, a resident of the town, said it could be more than 200, and many houses were also burnt” Hir added.
Another resident, Christian Msuega said he escaped the attack, but his sister and brother -in- law had being burned alive.
Last month, gunmen who were believed to be herders killed at least 20 people in the Gwer west local government area of Benue state.
It’s believed that with the coming of President Tinubu to the state and also engaging with all stakeholders to get first hand information, the good people of Benue are hopeful that the directive giving to all the security agencies to stop the killings and also arrest those that carried out the heinous attack will bring lasting results.
