Taiwo Popoola
Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has called for the support of the Federal Government towards ending the killings by suspected armed herdsmen in the state.
The governor expressed deep sadness over the recent coordinated attacks on communities in Ukum and Logo LGAs.
Alia described the killings in communities in the state as a ‘serious carnage’.
Recall that suspected armed herders killed over 56 people and wounded several others in different communities in Ukum and Logo on Friday.
Alia spoke when he visited the affected communities for an on-the-spot assessment.
He expressed shock over the large number of people killed, noting that the attacks were calculated, planned and targeted at selected communities and called on the Federal Government to come to Benue’s aid.
“I know that the Federal Government has supported us very enormously and even though our security heads and their teams are working strenuously non-stop, this still happened.
“Something drastic has to come into play. I’m calling on the federal government to support us, to come to our aid very promptly,” he said.
Alia extended his condolences to the families affected by the carnage and appealed to the youth of the area to be patient and not be tempted to take the law into their hands.
He said the government has already initiated decisive and drastic measures towards putting a permanent stop to the killings.
The governor held a closed-door meeting with representatives of the youth and traditional rulers in the respective council wards of the local government.
He warned that any Tiv person found to be part of the killer herders should have a rethink, stressing, “We know our enemies and we have to face them squarely”.
Alia appreciated the efforts of the security agencies, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Katsina-Ala, Most Rev’d Isaac Dugu, as well as traditional rulers in trying to end the crisis.
Earlier in a remark, the member representing Katsina-Ala/ Ukum / Logo Federal Constituency, Solomon Wombo, condemned the heinous attacks and gruesome murder of a large number of his constituents and promised to work with the state government to curb the menace.
Chairman of Logo Local Government Area, Kav Clement, the Mue Ter Chongo, Logo, HRH, Terngu Iorhuna and the Youth Leader, Simon Yangetuma, lamented the killings and called on the state and federal governments to make haste to put a stop to it.
