Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Iormem Alia, has sounded the alarm over the worsening insecurity in the state, accusing armed Fulani herdsmen of orchestrating a violent campaign to kill, displace, and occupy communities.
Speaking on Arise News Morning Show, monitored by the News Chronicle’s news desk, Alia alleged that the attackers are backed by political actors both within and outside the state.
“These are armed Fulani herdsmen who have invaded Benue. They’ve joined forces with other elements to kill our people and take over their land,” the governor declared.
Despite the grim situation, Alia insists that Benue does not need a declaration of emergency rule.
Instead, he called for an interim federal intervention to flush out the invaders and restore peace, enabling displaced citizens to return to their ancestral homes.
“I am fully capable of restoring order, but we need the federal government to act swiftly,” he said.
Recall that at least 56 corpses have been recovered from communities in Ukum and Logo Local Government Areas, LGAs, of Benue following coordinated attacks on the communities by suspected armed herdsmen on Thursday and Good Friday.
The communities were attacked by suspected armed herdsmen who days before the attack were sighted by the locals in some of the communities, armed with AK-47 rifles and moving around with cattle unrestrained.
The 56 corpses were recovered in Ugondo, Logo LGA and in Tyuluv as well as Gbagir in Ukum LGA.
This was made known Saturday by Governor Hyacinth Alia when he led heads of security agencies in the state on a fact-finding visit to the two LGAs.
Addressing the people at Ugba Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camp where the fleeing locals were taking refuge, Governor Alia urged the Federal Government to give his administration all support “to end the senseless killings and displacement of innocent citizens of Benue state.”
The governor sympathized with the families that lost their loved ones in the attacks.
He also promised to offset the medical bills of survivors and the burial bill of te dead.
