* …Herdsmen order Benue community before sacking
them
Just when it seemed respite was coming the way of Benue farming
communities from the incursions of marauding herdsmen after the
flag off of Exercise Ayem A’ Kpatuma, or Cat Race, a military spike
operation to end herdsmen killings in the state, armed herdsmen
early in the week stormed Mbatoho, an Island community at Mbalagh
council ward of Makurdi local government, sacking over 5,000
inhabitants of the vast Island.
The invaders who were reported to have quietly ordered the
locals to vacate their ancestral homes without putting up any
resistance warned that their intent was not to shed blood.
Scared stiff of the threat, the locals immediately fled their
homes to the mainland after which the well armed herdsmen razed
several homes on the island and occupied the territory which is
less than five kilometer on sea from the Wadata area of Makurdi
town.
Majority of the victims caught refuge in homes of relatives and
friends on the other side of River Benue while a handfull of others
staged a peaceful protest to Benue Government House, seeking the
intervention of the state government to save them from being
homeless.
Saturday Vanguard gathered from some of the displaced persons
that the armed herdsmen started the action of attacking and taking
over the island some days ago.
According to the Community Leader of the Island and tax
collector of the inner segment of the Island, Chief Peter Tachie,
“the armed herdsmen who are usually dressed in black started their
action four days ago in our community.
“They came in their numbers with their cattle into island from
Guma local government area and other places on foot some weeks ago
because the water level of River Benue has dropped significantly so
they could easily assess the island on foot.
“Four days ago they started destroying our houses, farmland and
food barns and also taking over the LGEA Primary school in the
island and converting same for personal use.
“As we speak no Tiv person is on that island at the moment, they
have taken our farms and also uprooted our cassava from our
plantation to feed their cattle which are also grazing freely on
our farmland.
“They have destroyed all that we spent years to acquire, so we
have all moved into Makurdi main town with our families to seek
government’s attention.
“You know that we do a lot of dry season farming on the Island
and as we speak all that we planted in this dry season have all
been destroyed by the herdsmen and their cattle.”
On his part, the tax collector of the outer segment of the
island, Chief Stephen Guntu, said the invaders had warned that it
was in the best interest of the locals to vacate the island in
order to avert a major crisis.
“They warned that we should leave the island quietly in our own
interest. And since we know that they could be ruthless we all fled
with our families.
“Some of us are currently taking refuge in the houses of friends
and relatives while John Kyuka who is a politician that comes
regularly to campaign in the island also offered to accommodate
very few of us.
“We need urgent intervention of the government because they have
taken over our farmlands and all the food we harvested during the
last farming season.
“Moreover, we do a lot of dry season farming and as I speak all
the crops we planted this season are now food for the cattle.”
Head Teacher of the only Primary School on the Island, the LGEA
Primary School, Daudu, Mr. Ephram Otave told Saturday Vanguard that
close to 400 pupil of the school had been chased out of school by
the invaders.
“All my pupils who are close to 400 have been chased out of
school and displaced due to the activities of the herdsmen who have
occupied the entire island and chased out our people.”
Confirming the development, the Benue state Information
Commission, Lawrence Onoja Jnr. said the invaders had completely
taken over the Island adding that the government had also directed
security personnel to push them out of the community before the
crisis would escalate.
According to the Commissioner “our findings when the Security
Adviser to the Governor, Lt. Col. Paul Hemba(Rtd.) led a team to
Island indicated that for sometime in the last few days there has
been serious influx of herdsmen into Benue especially along Agatu,
Guma, Logo, Katsina/Ala local government areas and communities
bordering Nasarawa state especially.
“It was in the course of this influx that groups of herdsmen
some days ago went to Mbatoho Island, at Mbalagh council ward of
Makurdi local government area and sacked the locals from their
homes.
“The people fled from Island and the herdsmen took over the
community. When the team got there it was discovered that the
herdsmen were feeding their cattle on the farm produce of the
people and all they had in their barns.
“Governor Samuel Ortom has been in constant touch with security
personnel who have mobilized to the Island and have been directed
to to push back the herdsmen.
“Unfortunately the Exercise Ayem A’ Akpatuma recently launched
by the military in the state to end the herdsmen incursion in the
state does not cover that area because it is an Island completely
surrounded by water.
“However, security personal have been mobilized to the island to
move the herdsmen out so that the people can move back to their
community.”
When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer,
Assistant Superintendent, ASP, Moses Yamu confirmed that the
Special Forces of the Police had moved into the Island to restore
order.
“Just today, the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni held
meetings with some Ardos (Fulani Chiefs) and Chiefs from Agatu,
Gwer West and others, after which they went on a visit to the
Island. As we speak they are yet to return to Makurdi
mainland.”
* …Herdsmen order Benue community before sacking
them
Just when it seemed respite was coming the way of Benue farming
communities from the incursions of marauding herdsmen after the
flag off of Exercise Ayem A’ Kpatuma, or Cat Race, a military spike
operation to end herdsmen killings in the state, armed herdsmen
early in the week stormed Mbatoho, an Island community at Mbalagh
council ward of Makurdi local government, sacking over 5,000
inhabitants of the vast Island.
The invaders who were reported to have quietly ordered the
locals to vacate their ancestral homes without putting up any
resistance warned that their intent was not to shed blood.
Scared stiff of the threat, the locals immediately fled their
homes to the mainland after which the well armed herdsmen razed
several homes on the island and occupied the territory which is
less than five kilometer on sea from the Wadata area of Makurdi
town.
Majority of the victims caught refuge in homes of relatives and
friends on the other side of River Benue while a handfull of others
staged a peaceful protest to Benue Government House, seeking the
intervention of the state government to save them from being
homeless.
Saturday Vanguard gathered from some of the displaced persons
that the armed herdsmen started the action of attacking and taking
over the island some days ago.
According to the Community Leader of the Island and tax
collector of the inner segment of the Island, Chief Peter Tachie,
“the armed herdsmen who are usually dressed in black started their
action four days ago in our community.
“They came in their numbers with their cattle into island from
Guma local government area and other places on foot some weeks ago
because the water level of River Benue has dropped significantly so
they could easily assess the island on foot.
“Four days ago they started destroying our houses, farmland and
food barns and also taking over the LGEA Primary school in the
island and converting same for personal use.
“As we speak no Tiv person is on that island at the moment, they
have taken our farms and also uprooted our cassava from our
plantation to feed their cattle which are also grazing freely on
our farmland.
“They have destroyed all that we spent years to acquire, so we
have all moved into Makurdi main town with our families to seek
government’s attention.
“You know that we do a lot of dry season farming on the Island
and as we speak all that we planted in this dry season have all
been destroyed by the herdsmen and their cattle.”
On his part, the tax collector of the outer segment of the
island, Chief Stephen Guntu, said the invaders had warned that it
was in the best interest of the locals to vacate the island in
order to avert a major crisis.
“They warned that we should leave the island quietly in our own
interest. And since we know that they could be ruthless we all fled
with our families.
“Some of us are currently taking refuge in the houses of friends
and relatives while John Kyuka who is a politician that comes
regularly to campaign in the island also offered to accommodate
very few of us.
“We need urgent intervention of the government because they have
taken over our farmlands and all the food we harvested during the
last farming season.
“Moreover, we do a lot of dry season farming and as I speak all
the crops we planted this season are now food for the cattle.”
Head Teacher of the only Primary School on the Island, the LGEA
Primary School, Daudu, Mr. Ephram Otave told Saturday Vanguard that
close to 400 pupil of the school had been chased out of school by
the invaders.
“All my pupils who are close to 400 have been chased out of
school and displaced due to the activities of the herdsmen who have
occupied the entire island and chased out our people.”
Confirming the development, the Benue state Information
Commission, Lawrence Onoja Jnr. said the invaders had completely
taken over the Island adding that the government had also directed
security personnel to push them out of the community before the
crisis would escalate.
According to the Commissioner “our findings when the Security
Adviser to the Governor, Lt. Col. Paul Hemba(Rtd.) led a team to
Island indicated that for sometime in the last few days there has
been serious influx of herdsmen into Benue especially along Agatu,
Guma, Logo, Katsina/Ala local government areas and communities
bordering Nasarawa state especially.
“It was in the course of this influx that groups of herdsmen
some days ago went to Mbatoho Island, at Mbalagh council ward of
Makurdi local government area and sacked the locals from their
homes.
“The people fled from Island and the herdsmen took over the
community. When the team got there it was discovered that the
herdsmen were feeding their cattle on the farm produce of the
people and all they had in their barns.
“Governor Samuel Ortom has been in constant touch with security
personnel who have mobilized to the Island and have been directed
to to push back the herdsmen.
“Unfortunately the Exercise Ayem A’ Akpatuma recently launched
by the military in the state to end the herdsmen incursion in the
state does not cover that area because it is an Island completely
surrounded by water.
“However, security personal have been mobilized to the island to
move the herdsmen out so that the people can move back to their
community.”
When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer,
Assistant Superintendent, ASP, Moses Yamu confirmed that the
Special Forces of the Police had moved into the Island to restore
order.
“Just today, the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni held
meetings with some Ardos (Fulani Chiefs) and Chiefs from Agatu,
Gwer West and others, after which they went on a visit to the
Island. As we speak they are yet to return to Makurdi
mainland.”