Traditional rulers of the Idoma and Tiv communities have issued a 14-day ultimatum demanding that all herders and illegal occupants vacate their ancestral lands in Benue State.
The leaders who spoke at a town hall meeting in Makurdi yesterday also called on the federal government to support their efforts to flush out criminal elements destabilising the region and threatening communal peace.
Speaking, the Ochi’Idoma, His Royal Majesty Agaba’idu Dr. Elaigwu Odogbo Obagaji John, expressed concern over the ongoing attacks in Benue, which are carried out by criminal groups attacking neighbouring states.
He said that only the government can authorise military intervention and called for decisive political will to confront these attackers in the bushes, rather than punishing innocent locals.
According to him, the ultimatum is for the criminals to leave within 14 days to restore peace. He urged unity among Benue people to protect their land and appealed to the federal government to support these efforts.
He said, “The issue before us is the agricultural revolution. And I said it earlier here. The Benue Area State belongs to Benue. We know the people who are creating problems in Benue State. Let us not say that we don’t know them.
“We know them. The government clearly said that Benue State was under attack by two. Who are the people who are attacking these people? People who are attacking Benue State. The same set of people who are attacking Zamfara. The same people are attacking Nasarawa. The same people are attacking Kogi.
“We know them. The problem is, how can we handle them? We are giving them 14 days’ notice to go back in. Thank you. Till the end of this month, if we notice, they have escalated to killing Burma people.
“We know them. Where is the political will? That is what we are talking about. I asked someone what the will was between them and me.”
You know that you are voting. The ground will suffer without a political will to face one another.”
Also, the representative of James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse, the Tor Tiv, lamented the continuous attacks on the people, which made many flee their ancestral homes.
He said the time has come for the Benue people to stop sitting and watching their homes being destroyed by external enemies.
