Tsav, Agada, others slam IG for comments on Benue

Prominent indigenes of Benue State have condemned the Inspector
General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, over his statement on Thursday
when he described the crisis between Fulani herdsmen and Benue
farmers as a ‘communal clash’.

One time Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Alhaji Abubakar
Tsav, former minister of State for Education, Professor Jerry
Agada, President General, Mdzough U Tiv, Chief Edward Ujege and a
former Senate President Ameh Ebute, expressed shock at the IG’s
statement.

Tsav described the statement as ‘unprofessional’ and wondered
whether the police boss could say the same thing if it happened to
his people.

“I’m sad with the comment made by IGP, he is unfair to my
people, if such happens to his people, would he have said such a
thing? It is unprofessional of him. Why should he say it was a
communal crisis, was there any report that a Fulani died?

“I wonder how he called this communal crisis when Tiv people
including pregnant women and children were killed with no fulani
casualty.

Agada said, “I think the IGP was uninformed, if not, such
statement ought not to come from him, it is unfortunate that the
police boss was not abreast with issues on ground, perhaps, he is
overwhelmed with the security problem in the country”.

Ujege on his part described the statement as “not only
misleading but also makes mockery of the souls of children,
pregnant women, old men and youths of the state murdered in cold
blood by armed Fulani herdsmen in the last few days.”

Ebute, Prof. David Iornem, and Gen. Lawrence Onoja (rtd.), urged
Ortom to lead a high-power delegation of elders and traditional
rulers to President Buhari to register their grievances.

Meanwhile Ortom on Saturday said that he reconciled with former
governor of the state, Gabriel Suswam in his quest to find solution
to the problem of herdsmen attacks on Benue people.

He also told journalists on Saturday that he had withdrawn from
all political activities pending when the attacks on Benue by
Fulani herdsmen were over.

The governor said for the first time after his election in 2015,
he had to pick his phone and put calls across to his predecessor,
Gabriel Suswam and a former senate president David Mark to seek
their inputs on how to solve the problem of herdsmen invasion of
Benue communities.

He said, ‘’I saw this as a problem for all Benue sons and
daughters that is beyond party line which is why l decided to put
every sentiment aside, reconciled with relevant stakeholders and
sit with them to brainstorm with a view to find lasting solution to
the crisis.”

He disclosed that a mass burial would be organised for the
victims of the herdsmen attack while three days mourning shall be
observed preparatory to the burial.

According to him, “Dead victims of about 49 dead bodies, 39 from
Guma and 10 from Logo LGAs have been deposited at various
mortuaries”.

He added that he had ordered that bodies that were found dead
and decomposing, should be buried.

In a related development, a security expert has asked the
Federal Government to speedily address the killings by Fulani
herdsmen across the country, noting that they may be Boko Haram
terrorists in disguise.

Retired State Director, Department of State Services, Mike
Ejiofor, said the level of sophistication and coordination by the
herdsmen indicated that they may be insurgents trying to expand
their deadly campaign beyond the North-East.

He said the government should stop living in denial and confront
the challenge of the herdsmen attacks squarely before it got out of
hand.

Ejiofor said, “We are living in denial instead of confronting
the problem. The killings is beyond herdsmen and farmers. These
people are part of Boko Haram who are trying to extend their
campaign beyond the North-East and the government should
interrogate this.

“If you look at the form of attacks they have cultivated, they
are coordinated and sophisticated and that shows that they are very
well organised and it gives a cause for concern. The government
should look beyond the herdsmen/farmers clashes.”

The security expert disagreed with the Inspector-General of
Police designation of the Benue killings as a communal clash,
noting that it was a serious issue that should warrant a visit to
the scene by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He frowned on the President’s failure to personally address the
killings in Benue and other states by Fulani herdsmen, stressing
that this was sending a wrong signal to the nation.

“The general body language is that he is not saying anything
because the attackers are Fulani, which may not be true, but if he
remains silent, it gives cause for worry; If he speaks on it or
visit the place, it would reassure the people,” Ejiofor added.

Prominent indigenes of Benue State have condemned the Inspector
General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, over his statement on Thursday
when he described the crisis between Fulani herdsmen and Benue
farmers as a ‘communal clash’.

One time Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Alhaji Abubakar
Tsav, former minister of State for Education, Professor Jerry
Agada, President General, Mdzough U Tiv, Chief Edward Ujege and a
former Senate President Ameh Ebute, expressed shock at the IG’s
statement.

Tsav described the statement as ‘unprofessional’ and wondered
whether the police boss could say the same thing if it happened to
his people.

“I’m sad with the comment made by IGP, he is unfair to my
people, if such happens to his people, would he have said such a
thing? It is unprofessional of him. Why should he say it was a
communal crisis, was there any report that a Fulani died?

“I wonder how he called this communal crisis when Tiv people
including pregnant women and children were killed with no fulani
casualty.

Agada said, “I think the IGP was uninformed, if not, such
statement ought not to come from him, it is unfortunate that the
police boss was not abreast with issues on ground, perhaps, he is
overwhelmed with the security problem in the country”.

Ujege on his part described the statement as “not only
misleading but also makes mockery of the souls of children,
pregnant women, old men and youths of the state murdered in cold
blood by armed Fulani herdsmen in the last few days.”

Ebute, Prof. David Iornem, and Gen. Lawrence Onoja (rtd.), urged
Ortom to lead a high-power delegation of elders and traditional
rulers to President Buhari to register their grievances.

Meanwhile Ortom on Saturday said that he reconciled with former
governor of the state, Gabriel Suswam in his quest to find solution
to the problem of herdsmen attacks on Benue people.

He also told journalists on Saturday that he had withdrawn from
all political activities pending when the attacks on Benue by
Fulani herdsmen were over.

The governor said for the first time after his election in 2015,
he had to pick his phone and put calls across to his predecessor,
Gabriel Suswam and a former senate president David Mark to seek
their inputs on how to solve the problem of herdsmen invasion of
Benue communities.

He said, ‘’I saw this as a problem for all Benue sons and
daughters that is beyond party line which is why l decided to put
every sentiment aside, reconciled with relevant stakeholders and
sit with them to brainstorm with a view to find lasting solution to
the crisis.”

He disclosed that a mass burial would be organised for the
victims of the herdsmen attack while three days mourning shall be
observed preparatory to the burial.

According to him, “Dead victims of about 49 dead bodies, 39 from
Guma and 10 from Logo LGAs have been deposited at various
mortuaries”.

He added that he had ordered that bodies that were found dead
and decomposing, should be buried.

In a related development, a security expert has asked the
Federal Government to speedily address the killings by Fulani
herdsmen across the country, noting that they may be Boko Haram
terrorists in disguise.

Retired State Director, Department of State Services, Mike
Ejiofor, said the level of sophistication and coordination by the
herdsmen indicated that they may be insurgents trying to expand
their deadly campaign beyond the North-East.

He said the government should stop living in denial and confront
the challenge of the herdsmen attacks squarely before it got out of
hand.

Ejiofor said, “We are living in denial instead of confronting
the problem. The killings is beyond herdsmen and farmers. These
people are part of Boko Haram who are trying to extend their
campaign beyond the North-East and the government should
interrogate this.

“If you look at the form of attacks they have cultivated, they
are coordinated and sophisticated and that shows that they are very
well organised and it gives a cause for concern. The government
should look beyond the herdsmen/farmers clashes.”

The security expert disagreed with the Inspector-General of
Police designation of the Benue killings as a communal clash,
noting that it was a serious issue that should warrant a visit to
the scene by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He frowned on the President’s failure to personally address the
killings in Benue and other states by Fulani herdsmen, stressing
that this was sending a wrong signal to the nation.

“The general body language is that he is not saying anything
because the attackers are Fulani, which may not be true, but if he
remains silent, it gives cause for worry; If he speaks on it or
visit the place, it would reassure the people,” Ejiofor added.