Gov Hyacinth Alia has appealed to politicians to stop politicising the insecurity situation in Benue.
Alia made the appeal when he visited Gbajir, Ityulugh District in Ukum Local Government Area, where militia groups reportedly killed 45 residents.
The violence rocked the area on Wednesday, March 6, and left 45 persons dead.
A miffed Alia, while decrying the level of violence, appealed to politicians to support him to address the raging insecurity “instead of politicising it”.
He also commended the security agencies’ prompt response to the situation, and warned the locals against shielding the criminals.
He observed that majority of the casualties were members of the militia, wondering why only that particular village and house came under attack.
The governor promised to work toward restoring peace to Ukum, urging politicians inciting violence and sponsoring the militia gangs in the axis to give peace a chance.
“If politicians are sponsoring militia gangs, as the traditional leaders have pointed out, let them stop such evil. Their communities, the families in their local governments, want peace.
“The person that went out there to cry wolf, has to come back and answer to his traditional rulers. He must tender apologies to me as the governor of the state, and then to the entire people of the state,” he said.
He recalled that a 14-day ultimatum was given and the response was very encouraging as herders were leaving, “only for the militia group to attack them, kidnap some, and rustle 61 cattle”.
“Ransom was paid, but only two people were released, which led to the reprisal attack by the armed herders
“A lot would have been averted if the herders had been allowed to retreat peacefully, but the action of few evil people has put innocent people in harm’s way.
He accused the Senator representing Benue North-East, Mr Memga Udende, of failing to present all the facts that led to the build up to the crisis in his area when he presented the matter before the Senate.
“Udende is from Ukum and knows most of the young men there; it means he is in a position to know the fighting groups. We want him to expose anyone suspected to be sponsoring violence in Ukum,” he said.
Alia called on neighbourhood watch groups to be on the alert and continue to play their roles so that peace would return to the area.
He charged the Ukum Traditional Council to work out the best approach to the situation, and to also caution those fanning embers of violence to desist or be made to face the consequences of their actions.
Earlier in his remarks, the Ter Ukum and Chairman, Ukum Traditional Council, Mr Orkaa Kaave, had said that the attack took place at the Ityulugh ward with the residence of the District Head, Deuti Adzande, hit on Tuesday morning.
Offering further insight into the crisis, Kaave disclosed that he received reports of herders influx into the local government Saturday and Sunday last week, which he reported to the appropriate authorities.
According to him, as more herders entered the area, he was informed that a youth from the area had stolen 61 cows and also kidnapped some of their men.
“He allegedly collected ransom but refused to release the captives,” he said.
“The Divisonal Police Officer(DPO) of Gbeji, led by the herders, was able to recover the cattle in Ityulugh District but, after paying ransom for the release of the four kidnapped herders, only two were released by Chen, which inevitably led to the attack.
“The house of the District Head was attacked because the herders felt he was shielding the culprits. No other place was attacked in Ukum apart from the District Hlead’s residence where they recovered their cows,” he said.
Mr Victor Iorzaa, the Caretaker Chairman of Ukum LocalGovernment, in a remark, said that when he was informed that herders were attacking the village, he called the DPO and they came and saw the destruction and casualties on ground.
“The attack was carried out by armed herders in collusion with a local militia group who attacked a rival gang over the killing of one of the herders,” he said.
Efforts to speak with Sen. Udende were not successful, but an aide told that he was not available to respond to NAN enquiries.