By Etim Etim
It is so difficult to understand why Nigerian authorities are unconcerned about the mass killings of the people of Benue State by terrorists and militia groups in almost a weekly basis.
Children, women and even pregnant moms are slaughtered every now and then in many parts of the state by terrorists and ethnic militias in the plains and troughs of Benue.
There’s neither been a word from the federal government condemning
the attacks nor any noticeable action from the law enforcement institutions to
tackle the problems in recent months. The state’s commissioner for Information,
Mr. Mike Inelagwu said in a recent interview that over 5,000 people have been
killed in the state by militias and terrorists in the last seven years.
Many have been displaced and are quartered in various IDP camps.
Inelagwu states that the murderers come in from the neighbouring Nasarawa State
and attack border communities like Guma, Agatu, Markudi, and Logo. Two weeks
ago, 34 people were massacred in Guma. The motive of the killers is to subjugate
the people, exterminate them and take over their lands for cattle grazing. The
victims are hapless villagers who live in hamlets and cultivate the farms.
Benue,
Taraba and Plateau are some of the nation’s main food producers, particularly
tubers, grains and fruits. These killings have negatively affected food
production and increased food inflation. While the killings seem to have
subsided in Plateau and Taraba in recent times, there is no letting up in
Benue.
The killers are fighting back against Benue state government’s
anti-grazing law which forbids herders from roaming around with their cattle.
But the herdsmen prefer to wander around the cities and go into farmlands with
their cattle.
The
state government wants the animals kept in ranches as is the practice in many
other countries. To weaken the resolve of the government and have the law
repealed, the herdsmen and the militias routinely launch nocturnal attacks
against hapless citizens.
These killings have become the most systematic and organized
ethnic cleansing program ever launched against a people in this country since
the pre-civil war pogrom of 1966 and 1967 in Northern Nigeria when Igbos and
some southerners were murdered.
I am appalled that despite all these slaughters in Benue, the
Buhari administration and the federal authorities, including the law
enforcement agencies, are looking away. How could there be such mass murders of
civilians in a country that is not at war, yet the authorities have never
brought anybody to book? It is shocking and frightening that nobody has ever
been interrogated, prosecuted or jailed for the killings in Benue State.
Is this a conspiracy against the people? I do not know of any
other country in the world where citizens would be mowed down daily by
marauders and terrorists and the government appears unconcerned. It is
shocking! As I indicated in a recent article, the weakness of our institutions,
the dominance of powerful and influential people who appear stronger than the
state and the absence of rule of law make a mockery of our democracy. Clearly,
these killers must be enjoying some level of official protection or sympathy.
The impunity continues to embolden them.
I
note that in recent months, our military and police have recorded some
successes against Boko Haram in the North East and IPOB in the South East. I
commend them. Overall, our law enforcement agencies are always quick to deal
with rioters and political agitators in the country.
The DSS recently warned some politicians against actions that may
undermine President Buhari’s transition to the new administration. Information
Minister Lai Mohammed has even levelled accusations of treason against Peter
Obi for daring to challenge the victory of APC in the last elections. The
political discourse has been quite animated, but, sadly, nobody remembers the
poor villagers in Benue State. Why are our elites so indifferent to the
atrocities in Benue?
Why has it been so difficult for our military, police and DSS to
rise up against the murderers terrorizing and killing people in Benue? Of what
use is a government that cannot protect the most vulnerable members of the
population?
A Reverend gentleman, Father Hyacinth Alia, has just been elected
governor of Benue on the platform of APC. He campaigned on the basis of
security of lives and property and promised to establish ‘’permanent integrated
force operation bases for security men at al flash points’’ in the state. He
also plans to rehabilitate and resettle displaced persons in their ancestral
homes and set up emergency toll-free phone numbers and shortcodes to facilitate
a quick response from the security forces.
He will not repeal the anti-grazing bill which the terrorists seem
to be fighting against. I encourage Father Alia to work hard behind the
scenes and collaborate with security agencies to contain these
terrorists. Gov. Samuel Ortom did his best to protect his people, but
unfortunately, the killings have continued unabated. The next governor should
leave politics out of security matters and work with the federal authorities to
deal decisively with these problems.
There should not be any form of appeasement; rather those who kill
innocent people should face the full wrath of the law. President Buhari has
been severely criticized for poor handling of the killings. Some claim that he
condoned the herdsmen because they are Fulani like him. I look forward to
seeing how differently President Bola Tinubu will handle the problem.
*Etim is a
commentator on public issues
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