The federal government has warned political jobbers seeking to take advantage of the killings in Benue State and other parts of the country to win the 2027 elections to desist.
The national security adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, said this during an official visit to sympathise with the governor and people of Benue State over the recent killings.
Ribadu, who represented President Bola Tinubu, said the president is deeply concerned about the sustained killing of farmers by bandits and warned politicians against politicising the killings.
This is as Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia disclosed that the death toll from the recent attacks by marauding herdsmen in Ukum and Logo local government areas on Thursday and Good Friday has risen to 72.
According to Ribadu, “The President and his entire cabinet are 100 per cent with you in this trying moment, this is real evil, it is a tragedy that has befallen the State and we will not leave you alone, we will work together to address this problem, we will fight to ensure that this murderers are defeated.
“Benue State is number one in food production and is extremely important to Nigerians, and as the Food Basket of the Country, we are going to fight to maintain this, so don’t ever think we will leave you alone in this fight, we will do all it takes to ensure that normalcy returns to the state for farmers to resume their farming activities.”
In a remark, the Ter Tyoshin from Gwer-west, which is one among the unsecured Local Government, His royal highness Daniel Abomtse, said from 2011 to date when the attacks started, over 598 persons have been reportedly killed by the marauding herdsmen. The said the homes of those killed are occupied by the killer herders.
“As a displaced monarch all the 15 districts, under my watch have been ransacked, all of us are now taking refuge in Naka, which is the headquarters of th LG and we only depend on what the governor send to us as palliatives, however we believe your coming here as you said will not be in vain.”
He continued, “Just as you rightly said that you were directed by the president to come and condole with us on his behalf, we want to commend him and to also to let you know that the 2017 Anti Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law is still in place so anyone coming into the State with cattle to graze must abide by it’s provisions.”
Also speaking the Ter Ukum, Iyokyaa Kaave, whose community was attacked on Good Friday said, for the past 15 years, Sankera axis comprising Katsina/Ala, Ukum and Logo which is the hub of agriculture in the state especially in the area of yams, has been on siege.
According to him, “My subjects have stopped farming, our children are no longer going to schools because all the schools, hospitals and markets have been destroyed, by the armed herdsmen, the highest revenue yielding LG in the state is completely crippled, our economy has gone down to zero we have become beggars in our father’s land our wives are giving birth to dwarf because of malnutrition.
“Please, tell the president to direct these armed herders, who have killed and displaced our people and occupy their homes to move out, we can’t live with mauderers, as I am talking to you 11 people have been killed this morning from Afia and still counting because many are still missing and scored are injured.”
In a similar vein, the Ada ‘Agatu, his royal highness Godwin Onah, disclosed that over 2000 farmers have been killed in coordinated attacks by armed herders from 2013 till date, lamenting that the herdsmen have taken over Agatu LG.
Earlier, Governor Alia, who commended the president for identifying with the state during its trying moment, said the number of those kill has increased from 56 to 72. “I speak, one out of those we brought down here for medical attention just died.”
He maintained that the attacks are “quite telling on us, and I can said that they are deliberate because terrorists don’t come as people who want to stay and graze, they come with AK47, attack and kill farmers, displaced them and after a while come back for occupation, we are helpless we don’t have arms to defend ourselves.
“I believe that your coming will bring renewed hope for us, and our resolve it to partner and collaborate with the Federal Government to ensure that normalcy return to the State because if we are talking about Benue as the food Basket and back home there is food shortage it is a bad omen for the country,” he said.
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