The federal government has been urged to set up an upwardly Mobile Police (MOPOL) outstation at the border between Ukpute in Oju, and Bonta in Konshisha local government areas of Benue state with the view to keeping vigil on the communities.
President General of Igede Progressive Elites Caucus Association (IPECA), Mr Mike Alewu, who made the appeal in a press statement issued to Blueprint Monday in Abuja said the police outstation would forestall the recurrent skirmishes between members of the two Igede and Tiv communities and guarantee lasting peace in the area.
Mr. Alewu, who described the recent return to destruction of human, livestock and other household properties as uncalled for, begged President Muhammadu Buhari not to take the crisis among the two communities with kid gloves as it has repeatedly caused a lot of havoc and rendered the people refugees in their own soil.
He commended Governor Samuel Ortom for finally wading into the imbroglio by advising the people to maintain the peace as the boundary between the two communities would soon be demarcated but pleaded for practical steps to assuage the suffering of the beleaguered people by sending grains and materials for the resettlement of the displaced.
Alewu called on the well to do in Igede nation to see to the need to give succor to the IDPs as well as sensitise the people on the need for tolerance, peace and development.
He said, “At a time like this, we cannot pretend that all is well. We need to support our people wth whatever we can but the benue state government under the leadership of Dr Samuel Ortom should show love and magnanimity by doing something to practically help our people.”
The IPECA helmsman said all the members were united in the move to ensure the welfare and wellbeing of the Igede people wherever they may be.
