From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
A Tiv Socio- cultural group known as Mzough U Tiv,MUT has lamented over the renewed killings in Benue State by armed militia herdsmen, calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to end the mindless killings.
This is even as the group frowned at the recent comments made by the Sultan of Sokoto and President of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar alleging that Tiv people steal their cows.
The MUT in a press statement signed by its President Comptroller of Prisons, rtd Iorbee Ihagh called on the Sultan to retract and tender an unreserved apology to the Tiv nation over the statement he made, calling Tiv people thieves.
He noted that the Tiv people have a long standing relationship with the Fulani people, where the Tiv, who are great farmers, offer the Fulani, food in exchange for beef.
Said he, “the statement credited to the Sultan saying that the Tiv people stole their cows, was coming at the height of the killings in Benue was not worthy of a person of the standing of the Sultan of Sokoto.
“These unprovoked and unwarranted attacks by armed militia herdsmen has taken a toll on farming activities and peasant farmers in the State, who are the main producers of food that has been the main stay of the food needs of the Benue people and indeed the people of our nation, Nigeria..
“The surge in the killings at a time when the nation is battling with the issue of food insecurity needs to be tackled with all sincerity and forcefully too. We believe that the era of handling the issue of insecurity with kid gloves as pertain herdsmen attacks is over.
“Also, the surge in the rate of attacks and kidnappings in the North West and North East, is an indication that now, more than ever before, the military should step up its act by pushing these criminal elements Northwards and finally out of the country to where they belong.
“In other scenerios, we have witnessed times where these elements have connived with natives of other communities and caused mayhem. A recent case study is the collaboration between some of these bandits with a local militia group in Ukum Local Government Area, LGA of Benue State, where many lives were lost about two weeks ago.
“The flash points of these killings last year and early this year had been in Makurdi and Guma LGAs. However, in the last two months there has been a shift from these areas to Gwer East LGA, even though pockets of killings are still going on in the aforementioned areas.
“As Chairman of the three sociocultural organisations in the State, I also wish to identify with our brothers and sisters in Benue South senatorial district (Zone C), who are witnessing killings in their areas, almost on a daily basis.
