Elders from Benue state have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to declare Fulani herdsmen invasion of the state and gruesome massacre of the people by the armed herders as act of insurgency and the perpetrators labelled as terrorists to be routed out by the military.
The elders according to Vanguard reports noted that the invading Herdsmen have been allowed to bear sophisticated assault weapons unchallenged, adding that such is against all our extant laws.
This was made known in a communiqué issued at the end of a unity meeting held in Makurdi and attended by the leaders of Tiv, Idoma and Igede.
The elders noted that the meeting became necessary following ‘the armed invasion and occupation of their land by Fulani herdsmen and the wanton killing of their people, destruction of homes and farmlands, raping of their wives and daughters in 15 Local Government Areas out of 23 namely, Agatu, Gwer East, Gwer West, Makurdi, Guma, Tarka, Buruku, Katsina Ala, Logo, Ukum, Kwande, Oju, Obi and Konshisha’.
Leaders and elders of Mdzough U Tiv (MUT), Idoma National Forum (INF) and Omi Ny’Igede, also rejected the proposed Town Hall Meeting by the Federal Government, insisting that only an inclusive Judicial Commission of Enquiry can unravel the root cause(s) of the invasion of Benue by Fulani herdsmen and the gruesome massacre of the people by the armed herders.
“The delay in setting up the Presidential Investigation Panel promised by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is becoming worrisome”.
“The proposed Town Hall Meeting by the Federal Government is not only diversionary, but a deliberate ploy to downplay the degree of attention and seriousness that should be accorded the invasion of our land.
We wonder why the same Government that promised to set up an investigation committee is now resorting to a mere ruse called ‘Town Hall Meeting’.
“We observed that the Town Hall meeting held on the 24th day of March, 2016 in Abuja by 1 Idoma Initiative with the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) during which some major decisions were taken as detailed in a communiqué did not have the mandate of major stakeholders in the crisis”.
The forum berated the inability of both the federal and state government in addressing the menaces of the herders. It noted that the Fulani Herdsmen and Farmers conflict in Benue State, which started over two decades ago, has escalated from mere conflict to an invasion and occupation agenda amounting to terrorism.
They urged the National Assembly to commence a public hearing on the Fulani herdsmen threat to national security without delay while the state lawmakers should enact laws to criminalize open grazing as it directly conflicts with the livelihood of Benue people which is crop farming.
