Benue Killings: We saw it coming, Governor says; announces mass burial for victims

The Benue State Government says it will bury victims of the January 1 attacks on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that over 50 persons were gunned down by unknown assailants that invaded five villages in Guma and Logo Local Governments on New Year day. Several others were injured while about 50,000 persons were displaced.

Gov. Samuel Ortom announced government’s decision to hold a mass burial for the deceased at a stakeholders meeting in Makurdi on Wednesday.

The meeting focused on insecurity in the state and the way forward.

Mr. Ortom, who called for prayers, said that the deceased would be remembered for sacrificing their lives to protect Benue farmlands.

He appealed for calm during the burial, and cautioned Benue residents against reprisal attacks against anyone.

Mr. Ortom vowed to ensure that the attackers were apprehended, and promised government’s support to the security agencies to actualise that.

Mr. Ortom also said security agencies did not take proactive measures to protect the state against its aggressors after several complaints of planned attacks reported to them.

“I saw the attacks coming and we wrote several letters of complaint to the police and complained to the presidency, yet nothing happened.

“We called for the arrest of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) but nobody responded; we have facts that can be used against them.”

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and top police officers including the DIG operations, Habila Joshak, two commissioners of police for Benue and Nasarawa states were in attendance.

The governor expressed regret that after repeated complaints to the police and other security agencies in the country on the threats of attacks by MACBAN, nothing was done to secure lives and property in the state.

“We called for the arrest of leaders of the association; we had evidence to support our claims but nobody paid heed to us.

“We wrote to you IGP three times but received no response. We briefed the presidency yet to no avail,” he lamented.

Mr. Ortom said the refusal of the security agencies to act and their lackadaisical attitude on the matter led to the mayhem of January 1.

He wondered why open statements of intended aggression against the state on national television, radio stations by members of the association had not been investigated and arrests effected.

He vowed to continue with the anti-open grazing law, stressing “there is no land in Benue for open grazing”.

Mr. Ortom said he would not adopt the cattle colonies as suggested by the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh.

He appealed to the IGP to immediately order for the arrest of leaders of MACBAN to give hope to the ordinary citizens that all people were equal before the law.