The Chairman of Benue ethnic leaders and President General of Mzough U Tiv, MUT, worldwide, Iorbee Ihagh, has said that over 147 persons have been killed in the state by herdsmen militia in the last two months.
In a statement on Thursday in Makurdi, he warned that if the activities of the armed herdsmen were not checked the country faced the prospect of worsening food shortages later in the year since farmers might not be able to return to their farms with the coming of the rains.
He lamented that the unprovoked attacks by the armed herders on innocent farmers had already taken its toll on the peasants farmers who contribute in no small measure to the food needs of the state and country at large.
“The surge in killings at a time when the nation is battling with the issue of food insecurity is worrisome and needs to be tackled with all sincerity and forcefully too. We believe that the era of handling issues of insecurity with kid gloves is over.
“Also, the surge in the rate of attacks and kidnappings in the North West and North East, is an indication that now, more than ever before, the military should step up its act by pushing these criminal elements Northwards and finally out of the country to where they belong.
“In other scenarios, we have witnessed where these elements are conniving with the natives of communities and causing mayhem. A recent case study is the collaboration of some of these bandits with a local militia group in Ukum Local Government Area, LGA of the State, where many lives were lost.
“As the Chairman of the three sociocultural organisations in the State, we also wish to identify with our brothers and sisters in Benue South senatorial district (Zone C), who are witnessing killings in their area, almost on a daily basis.
“From the data available to us, the state may have lost about 147 persons to herdsmen militia attacks in the last two months. The number of deaths at our disposal are reported cases, but we strongly believe that the number of deaths could be more, because one or two persons may have been killed elsewhere that may not have been reported,” he said.
While applauding President Tinubu for all the interventions, programmes and projects he sent to Benue State under his Renewed Hope Agenda, Ihagh
also commended Governor Hyacinth Alia’s purposeful leadership and “for giving the people of Benue State a new lease of life.
“We state unequivocally, that we stand with the Governor Alia in his quest to rid the state of these bandits by enforcing the Benue Open Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017.”
