There seems to be a glimmer of hope for the people of Benue following the recent visit of a high-powered delegation from the Defence Headquarters to the state over the recent attacks. JOHN SHIAONDO reports.
The Defence Headquarters on Saturday 16th April, 2022 sent a high-powered military delegation on a fact-finding mission to Benue over the recent killing in the state.
The delegation was led by Chief of Defence Training and Operations, Major General Adeyemi Yekini who had served in the state as the pioneer Force Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), a Spike Joint Security Operation formed to tackle issues of insecurity in Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba states.
The visit was sparked particularly by the attack on three communities in Benue including Tior-tyu, Tse Semaka, and Tswarev in Tarka, Guma and Logo local government areas respectively on Monday night of 11th April, 2022.
On that fateful rainy night, 18 people were reported killed by rampaging gunmen in Tior-tyu, Tarka local government, eight mowed down by the invaders suspected to be herdsmen at Tse Semaka, Mbadwem in Guma local government area and one monarch, Chief Unongo Shayange, district head of Mbamondo in Ukember Agya Tswarev Council ward in Logo, local government area.
Scores of others were injured and are still receiving treatment in some hospitals.
The killings particularly in Tior-tyo a small town located along the Makurdi-Gboko road, about 30 kilometres from Makurdi sparked tension and reactions as this was the first time the place would be attacked.
Four members of the same family were among the victims. Following the incident, the corpses were evacuated by youths to the busy Makurdi – Gboko road a situation that heightened the already existing tension.
Some blamed the federal government for inaction and long silence over the killings, which they said has resulted in loss of so many lives and the displacement of millions of people from their ancestral homes.
Angry Ortom speaks
Angered by this, Governor Samuel Ortom
called on the people to rise up to defend themselves forthwith.
The governor, who was visibly angry said it was becoming increasingly glaring that his people were now endangered species, so no need waiting for help from anywhere.
“My people would have to rise up to the occasion to defend themselves and their heritage against the Fulani army of occupation.
“We are law-abiding citizens. We have cried for help against these invaders but nothing is forthcoming.
“We have been accommodating other people in our land but our hospitality is misconstrued as weakness. We are not a conquered people and would never be.
“We are left alone and it looks like it is a deliberate strategy. Now, we have only one option: to defend ourselves or get extinct. This is a case for our survival.”
The state government, he said, would not shy away from its commitment to provide welfare and the security for the citizens.
Akase blames FG over silence
Also reacting to the incident, the former chief press secretary to the governor, Terver Akase expressed worry over the long silence by the Buhari-led government over the killings in Benue.
He described the silence as betrayal of the people’s trust and votes which brought the APC to power in 2015 and 2019.
Akase also said Benue people deserve to be protected too, but if the federal government choose to look away anytime anything is happening in the state, the people would feel abandoned like orphans.
He therefore stressed that the state needed to be assisted to rise from the ruins of sustained herders attacks, the same way the North-east was being assisted to overcome the damage caused by Boko Haram.
According to him, the federal government made a promise since May 2018 through the vice president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo that it would release N10 billion for the resettlement of displaced people in Benue and other affected states, but the promise he said seems to be a deceit.
“The Muhammadu Buhari administration has abandoned the people of the state to be slaughtered like animals by Fulani herders.
“The Presidency is quick to sympathise with other states affected by violence but has not issued even a single statement to sympathise with the government and people of Benue state following coordinated attacks by herdsmen in Guma, Logo and Tarka which led to the killing of 27 innocent persons, a few days ago.
“Just yesterday, we read a statement from the presidency sympathising with the people of Plateau State, which is the right thing to do. We also sympathise with them.
“But we are shocked that three days after coordinated attacks took place in Benue, the presidency has not deemed it necessary to sympathise with the people of Benue state and we are wondering whether Benue is still part of this country.
The high-powered delegation
A week after, the attack a high powered military delegation from the Nigeria Defence Headquarters arrived Benue.
Major General Yekini leader of the delegation was accompanied by other top military personnel including the Force Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke OPWS, Major General Kevin Aligbe and the Security Adviser to the Governor Lt Col Paul Hemba (rtd) on a fact finding mission to Tiortyu and Tse Sumeka near Umenge in Tarka and Guma LGAs respectively.
He said the federal government through the Defence Headquarters was finding a way to address the killings in the state.
Addressing journalists after touring the affected areas, General Yekini said he was sent on a fact finding mission by the authority of Chief of Defence Staff.
“I am here on the authority of the Chief of Defence Staff. He directed a team led by me to come here and find out what happened.”
He assured the public that those who carried out the heinous crime would be apprehended and served justice.
He noted that it was not yet clear who and who was responsible for the killing particularly in Tior-tyu in Tarka, noting that it could have been carried out by some bandits.
“Who is responsible for the attack is not too clear to us yet. I spent three years as Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke OPWS in this general area.
“Whichever group it is would be tracked down and neutralised accordingly. The Chief of Defence Staff has given me the directive and I have passed the directive to the Commander OPWS to find those who were responsible for the attack, track them down and bring them to justice. Swift, fast justice. That’s why I’m here,” he said.
He said the Defence Headquarters is exploring all options to tackle the situation.
“Our intelligence unit is working on it to unmask those who were responsible for the attack. And we will go after them decisively.
“To a large extent, we can say that there’s relative peace in Benue. Of course, there are still occasional attacks by bandits and all that but when you look at the overall security situation in Benue, one can say there’s relative peace in the state.
“However, there’s still need for improvement. Troops are re-strategising, they’re reviewing their tactics and their deployment and they are taking all other measures that I cannot mention here to ensure that we put a permanent end to this kind of killing.
“We cannot allow some few criminals to hold Nigerians to ransom. The instruction is clear; track them down and kill them. The president has made it clear that anybody found with weapons should be killed and that instruction has been passed to me and I have passed same to the operations Commanders to unmask these people and bring them to swift justice,” he added.
Assurances from military top brass
In an address to the community leaders, the army chief appealed to the residents to return to their homes and resume their normal business activities.
He assured them that no such attacks would be repeated in the area but advised them to report all suspicious movements to security agents.
Yekini also assured the attacked communities particularly in Tior-tyu that soldiers would be stationed in the area to maintain peace.
Also speaking, Aligbe said the military would do its best to ensure those behind the attacks were found and advised them to report all suspected people to security personnel.
The adviser to the governor on security, Hemba in an interview said the tragic incident was very unfortunate.
“But I want to tell the community that the situation would be handled with presence of the high military delegation.
“We appreciate the leadership of the military and their swift response which has reflected in the sending of this high powered delegation to come to this place. That shows a lot of concern.
“So we thank Mr president, we thank the Chief of Defence Staff and we want to assure the community that enough security would be provided for them for normalcy to return here so that they would live their normal lives and continue with their farming activities.
“We are working with OPWS and our commitment would come in terms of support and logistics which the state government would provide to relevant security as we have always done,” he said.
Royal fathers lend their voice
Responding, the traditional ruler of Shitile community in Tior-tyu, Chief Sabastine Hule, commended the federal government for its prompt response in sending the delegation for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation.
He said with the assurances from the Defence Headquarters, fleeing residents would return home.
According to him, since the incident took place, many people have deserted their homes and are afraid of returning for fear of the unknown.
“My people have fled since the attack took place. They have been running from one place to the other since the attack because no one is sure of what would happen, but your coming has given us assurances that we are safe.
“We are happy and grateful that you visited our community to see things for yourself and we are holding unto your promise to ensure the safety of my people who have been running helter-skelter since the incident,” he said.
It could be noted that Benue for the past seven years has suffered series of attacks which has resulted in high casualty level and displacement.
With the renewed attention by the Defense Headquarters, it is hoped that peace would return to affected communities.
