Association of Benue Journalists (ABJ), has called on the federal government to urgently clampdown on the recent attackers who murdered over 30 persons in the early hours of the New Year day in Guma and Logo local government areas of Benue state.
The group in a statement issued in Abuja, and signed by its Chairman, Mr. Emmanuel Iffer, described the attackers as “terrorist herders” and added that “the persistent killings show flashes of variables of genocide” even as the statement stated that only the federal government could effectively deal with the situation.
Expressing concerns that the rampaging herders, who might have developed strategic plans to wipe out Benue people, the media men said President Muhammadu Buhari did not do enough by issuing statements of condemnation.
“The central government’s history of nonchalant attitude towards the protection of lives and property of its citizens, especially in Benue is clear violation of the nation’s constitutional provisions, which he swore to defend and protect.
“For years the federal government failed to develop any convincing actionable plans to halt the articulated plans to obliterate Benue map from being part of Nigeria.
“The association, therefore, views the slaughtering of some 33 human beings in that state and with dozens more injured, as a crime against humanity.
“In the New Year attacks, reports had it that no fewer than 50 persons were actually killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen after they invaded parts of the Guma and Logo local government areas of the state.
“ABJ vehemently frowns at the way the federal government has always frozen when it is called upon to activate high power security measures to halt planned killings in the state”, the statement added.
