Benue Flood Victims support Partners Strongly Condemn the Attack On her Volunteer; Ukan Kurugh

For Immediate release…

Benue Flood Victims support partners strongly condemns the attack on one of her volunteers at the International Market Camp for the Internally Displaced Persons occasioned by the recent Floods in Benue State.

It is no longer news that yesterday Ukan Kurugh who since day one of the Camp opening has both being volunteering to attend to the needs of the IDPs at the camp as well as using his media platform to draw global attention to the ordeal was attacked. What for us has become news is the lack of prompt attention given the mater by security agencies in the state and the deafening silence from Benue State Government and SEMA who have a direct responsibility for the camp.

The inhumane treatment meted to Ukan Kurugh, causing him bodily harm could have been on any other volunteer. We all have felt frustrated and vented same here and there, anyone of us could be the next target for attack. It is therefore for safety of all of us and in solidarity with one of our own that we regret to announce that we have withdrawn our volunteers from the IDP camp.

This is no way to reward or encourage noble citizen acts such as volunteerism. What lessons are we leaving for the future and those who may feel the urge to help fellow human beings in urgent need? That the attack was in broad day light and in clear view of the security operatives present at the camp as the Governor was being expected leaves more questions than answers. And that the Governor arrived the camp moments later without ordering the arrest of the thugs who we can confirm were still very much on the camp is yet another cause for worry. This ridicules us all and we cannot be quiet on such an objectionable handling of the ordeal.

We are therefore calling the Government of Benue State and the security agencies to bring the much demanded justice to Ukan Kurugh and assuage our fears that ours has not become a jungle where the strongest can devour the weak and vulnerable in a lawless manner with impunity. We demand the chief security officer of Benue State to condemn this dastard act in the strongest terms and order full scale investigation that will bring the culprits to book.

Benue Flood Victims Support partners will continue to deploy her interventions on another level pending when the security concerns in the camp are sufficiently addressed. Whilst doing that, our resolve is to continue to Stand with Ukan Kurugh until justice is served.

We call on the public and our charitable partners to continue to support the Benue Flood Victims in any way they can.

Signed:

Benue Flood Victims Support Partners

1. Community Links

2. LEADBenue

3. VATIM

4. #ICareForIDPs

5. AIT

6. TY Danjuma Foundation

7. Sterling Bank

8. Kasajene

9. Rendra Foundation

10. Environment and Safety Management Institute

11. Environment, Gender and Peace Building Initiative

12. Resource Conservation Development Initiative

13. Let Us Help Out

#JusticeForUkanKuru

Ukan Kurugh Molested by Thugs at the Makurdi International Camp for IDPs

Fellow Countrymen;

Diplomats and Friends of LEAD Worldwide. 

1. Activities of the last 24 hours necessitated an emergency convention of LEAD Benue and her partners in the Benue Flood Victims support. 

1.1 As has occupied the social media and other fora; social activist and LEAD Benue member Ukan Peter Kurugh who has been serving at the camp and representing our group was molested at the Internally Displaced Persons-IDPs camp in Makurdi by thugs who voiced out their disgust against him for criticizing the government of Benue state. 

1.2 In the wake of the flood in Benue and the subsequent displacement of fellow citizens by the flood, we did organize ourselves together to rally funds for our displaced people; a venture that has proven a great success because of your contributions. 

2.0 Recall that Ukan Peter Kurugh and many others from LEAD and beyond have been serving at the camps as volunteers and have religiously and diligently carried out their duties until today. 

3.0 The said thugs did inhumanly treat Ukan Kurugh, they beat him and caused him grievous bodily harm; an act that is unacceptable not only because it is dehumanizing but worst because he is our member attending to humanitarian needs of IDPs. 

4.0 We condemn this dastardly act in vehemence and we announce that forthwith we are withdrawing the services of our volunteers at the Internally Displaced Persons camp on account of the ensuing impunity and deafening silence of the government of Benue state and the clear statement that they can no longer guarantee our safety on camps and prevent the violation of our peoples as has proven with this conduct. 

4.1 Our withdrawal from the camp is hinged on the fact that our movement has been disrespected and the blatant disregard for the cries tendered after hours of the said incidence only prove the government's apathy. 

4.2. That this was done in public glare and up to this moment no culprit has been apprehended clearly shows that our other members are at risk and stand being harmed on the trumped up charges of criticizing the government of the day. 

4.3 We would further be informed that the governor arrived the camp a few minutes later with the perpetrators of this act still on ground and could not order their arrest or take any move to grant our comrade justice. He only mentioned passively that he would replace his broken iPad and asked that "he reports to the security agencies or forgives the perpetrators of the act". 

4.4 It is unthinkable as it is unacceptable.

4.5 It has also been confirmed that security agencies stood by and watched as our comrade was assaulted and only one operative of the Department of State Security would later come to his rescue. 

4.6.    It is a considered opinion that this was planned with the permission of the security agencies present as their tacit nod to the act raises no other thinking.  

4.7 It is an act we cannot take and it is a pill we cannot swallow. 

4.8 We hope to continue our work on another note and with better security guaranteed. 

4.9 Until then we wish to concentrate on measures to seeking justice for our Abused comrade and putting in place measures that such an act is never repeated. 

5.0 We must reiterate for emphasis that we are not allowing this slide under the mud and we would not allow this indiscipline go. 

5.1 This is one human right violation gone too far. 

5.2 We regret the inconveniences our decisions might have caused the general public as we assure them that we would take all legal methods to bring justice to Ukan Peter Kurugh. 

5.3 Retain as always the assurance of our esteemed regards. 

LEAD Benue.

Invitation To Otukpo Symposium

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