Declare state of emergency in Benue, Taraba, Coalition tells FG

Coalition of Civil Society Groups for Peace and Security (CSGPS) on Thursday in Lagos called on the Federal Government to declare state of emergency in both Benue and Taraba states on account of series of killings occurring in the state brought about by rampaging Fulani herdsmen.

A total of 72 persons hacked by the Fulani herdsmen were buried on Thursday by the Benue State government.

The group made the call at a press conference addressed by its National President, Otunba kunle Salawu, just as urged the Federal government to set up judicial commission of enquiry to probe the involvement of the state governors in the farmers/herders’ crises.

Salawu, who spoke at the conference attended by other members of the group, including Akogun Ayokunle Black, preident, Concerned youths of Nigeria, condemned the killings in Benue State as well as the renewed hostilities in Mambilla Plateau in Taraba State.

The CSGPS president, while condemning the killings of scores of people in Benue, blamed the escalation of the crisis on the Civilian Joint Task Force set up after the passage of the Anti- Open Grazing Bill into Law, describing sponsorship of state militias by governors as unconstitutional.

He enjoined the two governors to immediately step down to allow for investigation on the extent of their involvement in the massacre.

Salawu alleged that the youth that Benue Taraba State governor, Mr Smuel Ortom, misled with the uniform of Livestock Guards, after signing the law, brazenly went on an extortion spree against herders while not a few of them appropriated the said law to engage in cattle rustling.

“The youths he (Ortom) misled with the uniform of Livestock Guards, after signing the law, brazenly went on an extortion spree against herders while not a few of them appropriated the said law to engage in cattle rustling,” the President said.

“We have no other option than to indict the governor of Benue State, Mr. Samuel Ortom, for spending more energy in stoking the fires of division as opposed to delivering the dividends of democracy to those that elected him,” he added.

He, therefore, charged the Federal Government to rise up to the occasion and stop state sponsorship of militias from festering as the consequence of it would fall on its head, and consequently called on it to deploy the military to the two states to suppress activities of militias.

“The Federal Government must show leadership since the blame will grow to become its own if it allows ethnic militias to fester unchecked. Aside the international odium it will pour on the country, the current crop of federal officials may find themselves as guests at The Hague since there is all possibility that any indifference would equal an active support for the crimes being committed by officials of the second tier of government; there is the additional risk that the militias being armed by these governors would one day take on federal law enforcement personnel,” he warned.

“The essence of the briefing is, therefore, to call on the Federal Government to immediately declare a State of Emergency in Taraba State and any other state where the governor as the Chief Security Officer willfully allows the security situation to degenerate to the point where mass murder is committed.

“The declaration of a State of Emergency in Taraba State will allow for full-scale investigation and also stop the militias armed by the governor from further harming any ethnic group to cause an unnecessary crisis in the polity for political reasons.

“Benue state must similarly be placed under emergency rule since its governor has not only confirmed his lack of capacity to arrest the situation but has proven beyond reasonable doubt that he is a core part of the problem,” Salawu said.