Thousands of people in Benue State trooped to the IBB square, Makurdi to bid the 73 victims of the New Year attacks who were given a mass burial farewell, but not without knocks on the Federal Government who all speakers at the requiem service blamed for the massacre of the departed souls.
Among dignitaries in attendance were the state governor, Samuel Ortom and wife Mrs Eunice Ortom, deputy governor, Engineer Benson Abounu and wife, Justice Mary Abounu.
Also in attendance were; the national chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, Chief John Oyegun, chairman, Northern Elders Forum, NEF, Paul Unongo, Gen. Lawrence Onoja rtd, Senator George Akume, religious and traditional leaders
Governor Samuel Ortom described the new year killings as the most heartless in Benue, saying the herdsmen came, destroyed their homes and properties.
Ortom insisted that the killings would not stop the implementation of the anti-open grazing which came into enforcement in November 2017.
According to him, ” If the herdsmen think that the killing of our people would make us stop the enforcement of the law, they have failed. We will not be deterred by their thinking because “am ready to pay the supreme price” for the implementation of the anti-open grazing. I will continue and insist on the calls for the arrest of the factional leader of Miyietti Allah Kautal Houre.
Also speaking, chairman Northern Elders Forum, Wantaregh Paul Unongo noted that the state would not hesitate to raise its own army if the herdsmen attacks on Benue persists.
He added that a large number of Benue sons and daughters had contributed to the greatest contingents that fought the civil war.
“Benue people sacrificed enough blood for the unity of this country and would not allow a section of Fulani terrorists to come, kill our people in cold blood”
“I am begging Nigerians that my people cannot continue to be canon folder of this country. If the government can’t protect us, we will mobilise and train our people into the army to defend us. We are 100% in support of what the governor Ortom has done. I am the spiritual leader and ancestral of Tiv nation, enough, is enough ”
Unongo who is the chairman, Northern Elders Forum, NEF stressed that the entire people of the state were watching President Buhari and had joined in the persistence calls by governor Ortom that federal government should take drastic steps to urgently address the killings and also arrest the leader of MAKH.
“If the federal government cannot stop or arrest those behind the killings, in two weeks, we shall raise an army of our own. We cannot allow people to colonised us again, we have all it takes to do that” Unongo emphasized.
Also speaking, Gen. Lawrence Onoja, who described the killing in the state as a genocidal conspiracy against Benue people, emphasized said that the killings must not continue.
” Some of us in 1966 fought the Nigeria war, Benue has contributed to the unity of this country, therefore If FG refused to address the killings in Benue and if we decide to raise our army as advocated by our elders to defend ourselves, l will not mind commanding that army despite my age.
He appealed to the federal government to replicate operation python dance or Fulani dance in Benue as being done in other states to the federation, he urged sons and daughters of the state to rally round the governor for the successful enfororcement of the law.
Also one-time senator, Senator JKN Waku who lamented the killings said that the attackers were taken the advantages of the peaceful manner of Benue but submitted that Benue people have endured peace for this long.
“It is unfortunate that someone would oppose a law that is legally enacted and began to killings and the federal government would refuse to make arrest in a quest to end the carnage. This is enough provocation, nobody has the monopoly of killing. Therefore enough is enough”.
The former governor of the state, Sen. George Akume noted that federal government has failed in its responsibility of protecting lives of the citizenry.
He urged President Buhari to proscribe the faction of the Miyietti Allah as terrorists because their actions are reasonable as the only terrorist that killed.
A representative of the United Nations, Dr. Mathins Ejibike, consoled the government and people of the state for the loss of their loved one, saying that what is happening Benue demand international attention.
“We want an enlightened approached to this matter. We should continue to pray that this kind of killings should be the last in the Benue state.
He disclosed they have received a report that over 20,000 refugees are already in camp and promised that they shall look into their plight.
In his speech, the paramount ruler of Tiv nations, Professor James Ayatse lamented that Tiv people who are residing in Nasarawa and Taraba were being murdered by the herdsmen on a daily basis since the Benue killings started.
“There is ethnic cleansing agenda going on in Benue. We must put an end to these killings. This is the 47 times that Fulanis would attack the Benue people and killed them mercilessly”
He said that Buhari must rise as a man of integrity to arrest the situation, adding that the people of Benue voted massively for him and so he must not allow the Benue people to be completely killed before his tenure ends.
He thanked those who came from other states to console Benue people and prayed that such mindless and heinous killings should never happen again in the state.
The paramount ruler enjoined governor Ortom never to be weighed down by the herders’ attacks but continue to do the needful in his bid to bring peace and tranquillity to the state, assuring that the entire Benue traditional rulers are solemnly behind the governor.
State chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev Akpe Leva commended governor Ortom for the charisma and love to die with Benue having passed the anti-open grazing Law, adding that the spirit of the departed ones and the God of Benue will rise up to torment suspected Fulani terrorists who have brought tears and sorrows.
One of the survivors, Akaatenger Azinga said that he was in his house sleeping with his wife when the attackers came and knocked at the door and his wife went to the door, only for her to be captured and slaughtered by the terrorists.
“I heard my wife screamed because they came in the dead of the night and when l went to rescue my wife, I discovered that they had slaughtered her and next thing, they started chasing me but l escaped narrowly to a nearby bush”
and then