Controversies trailed the recent claim by Governor Hyacinth Alia during a Church gathering that normalcy has returned to the Local Governments affected by sustained herdsmen attacks.
In their reactions, the people of Turan Community in Kwande Local Government area of Benue State have said that the recent statement by Governor Hyacinth Alia claiming the return of peace to the affected communities does not reflect the reality on the ground.
The president of Turan Development Association Worldwide, Terkura Iorkyaa and secretary Emmanuel Ijever, who made this known in a statement, said, “We believe the Governor has not been adequately briefed by security agencies and his aides on the actual state of affairs in Turan communities
According to them, “On Christmas Day 2024, 33 innocent farmers were brutally massacred, and these attacks are still ongoing after that tragic event. Between December 2024 and February 2025, we lost over fifty people while homes, farms and properties continued to be destroyed on a massive scale.
“The Turan people remain displaced, living in fear, hunger and despair, yet there has been no sufficient intervention to halt these violent attacks.
As the State’s Chief Security Officer, the Governor has a fundamental responsibility to ensure the safety and security of all communities.”
They said, “We call on the Governor to take urgent and decisive action to prevent further loss of lives and destruction in Turan land. The ongoing violence demands immediate intervention, enhanced security presence and a concrete plan to restore stability and allow displaced persons to return safely to their ancestral homes.”
In another development, the Forum of Tyoshin Academics (FoTA) also said it had been noted with concern a recent claim by the governor during a church gathering. He claimed that since his administration’s inception, reported killings in Gwer-West, Logo, Aliade, and Guma have ceased, and peace has been restored.
The FoTA National President, Prof. Patrick Ukase and Secretary, Prof. John Ajai, in a statement, said, “We wish to categorically state that this claim does not reflect the reality on the ground because the Tyoshin people of Gwer-West and Makurdi LGAs remain under siege, as our people continue to endure brutal attacks, maiming, and killings by armed men suspected to be herders.
According to the “From the look of things, the Governor has not been properly briefed by his appointees from Gwer-West LGA, who should be providing him with accurate and up-to-date information regarding the continued loss of lives, except the Governor has chosen to ignore the plight of our people, leaving them to their fate.”
They also call on Governor Alia and President Bola Tinubu to acknowledge that the Tyoshin people in Gwer-West and parts of Makurdi LGs remain under siege due to sustained armed herders attacks over a decade; our people have been forcibly displaced from their ancestral homes, living as internally displaced persons (IDPs) within their land, with no certainty of a safe return.
They maintained, “On 21st January 2025, FoTA issued a press release appreciating the efforts of the Council Chairman Victor Ormin and the Governor in facilitating the return of IDPs to their ancestral homes. In that statement, FoTA appealed for sustained vigilance and proactive measures to protect the returning population.
“However, the recent spate of killings and attacks on innocent Tyoshin people underscores the fact that “it is not yet Uhuru.” The returning population does not feel secure, and the reality contradicts any claims of restored peace.”
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