Benue Massacre: PDP Condemns Killings, disagrees with Gov. Alia on reasons for the attack
By: Henry Iyorkase, Makurdi.
The Secretary of People’s Democratic Party PDP in Benue State Mr Bemgba Iyortyom has mourned with victims of those killed last Thursday by suspected Fulani herdsmen in some parts of the state.
The party chief Scribe in a statement made available on Saturday in Makurdi, lamented that the attacks which occurred last Thursday spread to Gwer, Kwande, Ukum as well as Logo LGAS where it was reported over 16 persons were killed in one part.
While similar incident Occurred variously at different communities resulted to several loss of lives in the State .
We condemned these barbaric acts in strongest terms, noting that they are totally unprovoked, with the perpetrators solely intent on violating the ban on open grazing of livestock which is in force in the state.
The party also disagrees with Governor Hyacinth Alia’s submissions that the callous resulted to criminal acts which led to rustling of cattle belonging to Fulani herdsmen by some locals, which provoked the attacks. As far as we’re concerned is unsubstantiated
Governor Alia’s view is faulty to the extent that it ignores the original crime of the violation of the Prohibition of Open Grazing and Ranches Establishment Law by the herders, which renders their presence in the state and all of their actions thereto as willfully criminal.
The Benue State Governor, therefore, misses the point completely by seeking to shift the blame from the criminals to the victims, even as by so doing he cuts the worrisome impression of one lacking in both the will and nous to uphold his oath to protect the people from the killer herdsmen and other criminals.
Accordingly we urged Governor Alia to come out of his lethargy and confront the monster of continuing herdsmen killings and despoilation of Benue under his watch.
It is encubent on him to enlist the support of members of the National Assembly from the state in the All important fight, rather than continue in needless and distracting altercations with them.
He should also invest the monthly security vote available to his office to provide much needed logistical and equipment supports to security agencies in the state, including the Benue State Livestock Guards, which is the enforcement arm of the open grazing ban, so as to strengthen their hand in the fight against the terrorists.
Imploring his in charge of security agents in the state to enforce the ban on open grazing without aiding them with vehicles and sundry gadgets, as had been the practice with previous administrations, amounts to paying mere lip service to an otherwise ultimately serious and grievous situation.
” The party hierarchy advice him to wake up from his slumber and act swiftly to save souls by ensuring total implementation of anti- graft law with it’s attended consequences for citizens heave sight relief in the State “
