LEADBenue Condemn the
Attacks on Guma Communities
The impunity with which
helpless and unarmed farming communities are attacked by armed herdsmen is an
insult on the sovereignty of the nation Nigeria. How can the President remain
this offensively silent?
1.0 Guma, Logo and Agatu
communities in Benue state have continued to witness killings best likened to
massacres over the past three years.
2.0 The Agatu massacre
even had the secretary of MACBAN justify the attacks in a town hall meeting
convened by the police commissioner as a reprisal attack. No arrests were made.
3.0 Several other attacks
followed in Ayilamo and Buruku communities, all of which the Governor reached
out to the presidency and reported same.
4.0 It is as regrettable
as it remains shocking that Benue people from Guma LGA once again came under
unprovoked attacks from armed herdsmen as they went about celebrating the 2018
new year day.
4.1 Given the zero
response from any security agency of the federal government, the armed herdsmen
returned to attack the helpless people of Uikpam in Guma LGA on the 2nd of
January 2018, this time, over 20 human lives were massacred.
5.0 The executive
Governor of Benue state personally was at the Benue State University Teaching
hospital to see for himself the casualties. DailyTrust newspaper also widely
reported news of the attacks on Guma communities by herdsmen.
6.0 It is therefore heart
wrenching that no official statement or reaction has been received from the
Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria over the unprovoked killing of
her citizens.
6.1 Such insensitivity
compels us at LEADBenue to wonder if Benue state is no longer part of the
nation Nigeria upon which the President governs.
7.0 We are therefore
demanding for an immediate statement from the office of the President,
condemning the attacks in totality.
7.1 We demand that armed
herdsmen be declared as a terrorist organization that they are without further
delay.
7.2 We demand that the
security agencies be directed to without delay move to secure the attack prone
localities such as Guma, Logo, Buruku, Agatu and the several others that have
suffered similar attacks before.
7.3 This time, we will
not let go until perpetrators are arrested, paraded, charged and tried for acts
of terrorism.
8.0 We call on ALL well-meaning
Nigerians to be their brothers keepers and stand in total condemnation of
herdsmen attacks anywhere in Nigeria, in this instance Guma LGA of Benue state.
9.0 In the interim, we
call on the Governor of Benue state to liaise with all traditional rulers in
the state to mobilize their subjects to remain vigilante and defend selves
against such attacks, self defense is lawful.
Signed
Laz Apir, Coordinator
LEADBenue.
