Ochetoha K’Idoma: Benue apex socio cultural group condemns killing of Fulani leader, demands justice

The Ochetoha K’Idoma Forum Worldwide, the apex socio cultural organisation of the Idoma Nation, has strongly condemned the killing of a Fulani community leader, Ardo Risku Mohammed, and Mr Yakubu Isah in Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State, describing the incident as a tragic act that must not go unpunished.

In a statement signed by its President General, Professor Yakubu Aboki Ochefu, and Secretary General, Chief Paul Edeh, the organisation called on security agencies to ensure that those responsible for the killings are identified, arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

The forum said the two victims had earlier attended a peace and security meeting convened by the police before they were reportedly attacked and killed.

‘No grievance justifies taking innocent lives’

Expressing deep sorrow over the incident, the organisation said there was no circumstance, grievance or historical disagreement that could justify the taking of innocent lives.

It extended condolences to the bereaved families, the Fulani community in Ohimini and beyond, and all those who looked up to Ardo Risku Mohammed for leadership and guidance.

“We condemn this act in the strongest possible terms. There is no circumstance, no grievance and no history that justifies the taking of innocent life. The men who carried out this killing must be identified, arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law, irrespective of their identity, community or standing,” the statement read.

The forum also prayed for divine comfort for the families of the deceased and all those affected by the tragedy.

Calls for equal empathy for all victims

While mourning the victims, Ochetoha K’Idoma said the latest incident should also remind Nigerians of the prolonged insecurity that has claimed the lives of many people across Idomaland over the past decade.

The organisation lamented that many villages had been overrun by armed attackers, with farmers killed on their farmlands, women assaulted, children orphaned and entire communities displaced.

It noted that despite the persistent violence suffered by Idoma communities, public expressions of sympathy and solidarity from Fulani socio cultural leadership had largely been absent.

According to the forum, the observation was not intended to diminish the current tragedy but to underscore the need for equal compassion for every victim of violence.

“We mention this not in bitterness, and not to set one grave against another. We mention it because lasting peace in Benue cannot be built upon selective grief. Today, we extend the moral gesture that our own bereaved have so often awaited,” the statement added.

Rejects collective blame

The forum cautioned against attributing the killings to the Idoma people as a whole, insisting that criminal responsibility should remain personal and not ethnic.

It maintained that the perpetrators of the attack should be treated as criminals until investigations establish their identities and motives.

According to the organisation, just as it has consistently rejected attempts to stereotype every Fulani person as responsible for violent attacks elsewhere, it would also oppose attempts to collectively blame the Idoma Nation for the actions of unidentified criminals.

“Criminality belongs to no tribe and to no community. Justice that is selective is not justice,” it stated.

The group urged citizens, commentators and media organisations to exercise restraint and avoid inflammatory narratives capable of worsening ethnic tensions.

Faults government’s response to insecurity

Ochetoha K’Idoma also criticised successive federal and state governments over what it described as their inability to effectively address the worsening security situation in Benue State.

The organisation said it had repeatedly drawn the attention of relevant authorities to attacks on communities through letters, meetings and public engagements but lamented that little had changed on the ground.

It called on the Federal Government, the Benue State Government, the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to adopt a comprehensive and intelligence driven security strategy capable of protecting all law abiding residents regardless of ethnic background, religion or place of origin.

According to the forum, piecemeal responses to recurring violence have failed to provide lasting solutions to insecurity in the state.

Appeals for calm

The organisation appealed to the Idoma people at home and in the diaspora to remain calm, law abiding and avoid any form of retaliation while security agencies investigate the killings.

It urged anyone with useful information that could assist investigators to cooperate fully with the authorities.

The forum reiterated that justice must be pursued strictly through lawful means, stressing that revenge or extra judicial actions would only deepen divisions and dishonour the memory of those who had lost their lives.

Reaffirms commitment to peaceful coexistence

Reaffirming its commitment to peaceful coexistence, Ochetoha K’Idoma said the Idoma Nation would continue to uphold the principle that every human life deserves equal protection under the law, irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.

The organisation expressed hope that justice would be served without fear or favour and prayed for lasting peace in Benue State and across Nigeria.

The statement was signed by Professor Yakubu Aboki Ochefu, President General of Ochetoha K’Idoma Forum Worldwide, and Chief Paul Edeh, the forum’s Secretary General.