By Johnson Babajide, Makurdi
The three socio cultural groups in Benue State; Mdzough U Tiv, Ochetoha K’Idoma and Omi Ny’Igede on Sunday raised the alarm that linking the state with killing in Nasarawa by the military was an attempt to set the state with armed herders.
Leaders of the groups; Iorbee Ihagh, Tony Idokwu and Ben Okpa respectively raised the alarm in a statement jointly signed and made available to newsmen in Makurdi.
The leaders were reacting to purported statement credited to the former emir of Kano, Alhaji Lamido Sanusi and 51 others where they accused Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom of complicit in the killing of over 41 fulanis during military operation in a settlement in Doma local government area of Nasarawa State penultimate week.
The socio cultural group leaders found the claim by the northern elders group that the cost of one cow was N1m and noted that it was an attempt to cause reason for attack on Benue communities.
The leaders noted that military had owned up to the operation that led to the killing of the people and maintained that those killed in a that operation in Nasarawa State were actually terrorists.
While reminding federal government of its promise to release names of those it found to be sponsors of terrorists in the country the Benue socio cultural groups urged federal government to beach it’s further investigation on the former emir and other northwestern who signed the statement.
“We have also identified the desperate attempt by Sanusi and his band of supporters to give the attack on the terrorists an ethnic coloration, thereby setting Benue State up against the armed herdsmen invasion.
“Otherwise, how would someone like Sanusi place the cost of one cow at N1 million, if it is not in a desperate attempt to cause disaffection, pick a fight and get a reason to attack Benue communities.
“The grand conspiracy by Sanusi and his ‘partners’ may have also began to work out in their favour, with the annihilation of peasant farmers from their communities on both divides, through reprisals, since Sanusi and his company levelled the false allegations against Governor Ortom.
“Also, after carrying out several reprisal attacks on Tiv communities, both in Benue and Nasarawa States, the terrorists are now gathering at the border between Benue and Nasarawa, preparatory to launch further attacks on unsuspecting communities in Benue state.
The Federal Government has always said it was on the verge of releasing the names of sponsors of terrorism in the country and we are making it clear that the FG does not have to look any further, because it is our firm belief that Sanusi is one of the sponsors of terrorism in Nigeria.
“Therefore, we call on the security agencies to arrest, question and subsequently hold Sanusi and his cohorts responsible for the reprisal attacks that have already taken place as well as any further attacks on the people of Benue State, the statement read in parts.”
