Benue Is Under Siege, Governor Alia Admits, As Death Toll Of Herdsmen Attacks Rise To 72
•By Admin
MAKURDI: Thirteen more dead bodies have been recovered from last Thursday and the Good Friday, attacks on some communities in Ukum and Logo Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Benue State, just as the State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, has admitted that Benue State is under siege.
Isaac Uzaan, the Principal Special Assistant (PSA), to the Governor on Media and Content Creation who disclosed this in Makurdi on Monday, noted that the recovery of 13 additional corpses in the affected areas brings the total number of victims that lost their lives to the attacks by the armed Fulani herdsmen to 72.
He said, “Thirteen more bodies have been recovered from the recent attacks on Ukum and Logo Local Government Areas of Benue State taking the number of death toll to 72.”
Also speaking in connection to the attacks that took place last weekend, Governor Alia, who said Benue was under siege called on the people of the state to report suspicious movements to security agencies in the state.
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The Governor who was addressing congregants at the Chapel of Grace, Government House, Makurdi, after Mass insisted that security was the prerogative of the people and Benue people have a duty to rise against invaders by being vigilant and reporting any negative move to security personnel.
Alia further observed that Benue state was under attack and those who were attacking the state have a face as well as a mission to occupy the land, an act he declared as “extremely unacceptable.”
He encouraged the people of Benue not to be weighed down by the things happening around them, even as he vowed that he would go to any length to ensure that Benue people experienced peace.
The governor also warned politicians who may have taken advantage of the security situation to desist from such actions, adding that this was not the time to do so.
According to Governor Alia, “If you hear something, say something, it will enable the security agents to move out there and repel the invaders.
“We are under siege as a state, we are under attack, and those who are attacking us must have a face, must have an aim, and must have a drive.They come, they drag people out, they kill to occupy. This is extremely unacceptable.
“A terrorist is a terrorist irrespective of his ethnicity or his religion. Criminality is criminality period! So whoever commits it is a terrorist and he should not be where the living are.
“I invite you politicians to stay clear. Don’t be part of those who are attacking us. We have some machinery in place to dig deeper to let us know who is a culprit, who is involved in the destruction of our state”, he warned.
The Governor condemned all forms of criminality, saying it will never be condoned in Benue State and anywhere at all.
Alia further states that, the death and resurrection of Christ demonstrates selfless sacrifice, calling on Benue people to offer prayers for the repose of the souls of those who died in the Holy Week especially those innocent people who were gruesomely murdered in Ukum and Logo LGAs.
Meanwhile, the Tiv Area Traditional Council (TATC), under the leadership of His Royal Majesty, Orchivirigh, Prof James Iorzua Ayatse, convenved a meeting at his palace in Gboko, the traditional headquarters of the Tiv nation on Monday to discuss issues relating to insecurity.
The meeting which has in attendance the State Governor, former governors, the clergy, past and serving lawmakers in the state, among other personalities as well as all the traditional rulers.
Indications are also rife that issues on the no-love-lost relationship among some of the prominent sons of the state, would also be discussed at the meeting, with the view of uniting politicians in the state.
INDEPENDENT learned that the meeting was still in session as at the time of compiling this report, just as details of the meeting were still hazy.
•INDEPENDENTNG.