•seeks arrest, prosecution of culprits
A Sankera-based peace advocacy group has deplored last weekend’s unprovoked attacks by suspected armed herdsmen on Mbagena community in the Mchihe Council Ward of the Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State.
Eleven persons were reportedly killed and many others injured just as property estimated at several millions of naira, were destroyed during the attacks in the area by some criminal elements determined to disrupt the level of peace achieved by security agencies, particularly internal military outfit, Operation Whirl Stroke in Benue State,
The group, operating as Sankera Peace and Development Forum (SAPEDEF), while describing the dastardly act as despicable, barbaric, callous and wicked, thanked security agencies, particularly Operation Whirl Stroke, for prompt response to the scene of the attacks to halt the ugly act by the invading marauders.
It noted the timely response and professionalism displayed by men of the military outfit anytime there are incidents in the state, saying the display of such feat at Sankera was commendable.
Reacting to the ugly development in a statement through its national president, Dr Paul Gbande and National Secretary, Barr. (Mrs) Doshima Vembe, respectively, SAPEDEF, while extending condolences to the bereaved families, the affected communities and the Government of Benue State, charged security agencies to go all out in fishing the culprits and their sponsors to face justice.
Noting that the level of brutality was deeply troubling, SAPEDEF called on the people of the area to remain calm, expressing its unflinching confidence in the security agencies to expose those behind the act and subsequently bring them to justice.
SAPEDEF, while clarifying that it was not a political group, commended the Governor of Benue State, Rev. Father Hyacinth Alia,for his efforts in securing the life and property of Benue people as a whole. It appealed to him to remain steadfast in the midst of political and calculated blackmail by some political opponents in the state.
The group also commended the Catholic Bishop of katsina Ala Archdiocese, Most Rev. Isaac Bundepuun Dugu, for launching the Sankera Peace Initiative Panel to brainstorm and find solutions on how bandits may be approached, how the Chiefs may be involved and how some succour may return to Sankera area and possibly to some part of Wukari Diocese in Taraba State that share boundary with Benue.
The peace advocacy group called on sons of the area to close ranks with the Governor of Benue State with a view to restoring peace and secure lives in Sankera, in particular, and Benue State at large
The group described the renewed attacks in the Sankera axis as a criminal act laced with political intent to undermine Governor Alia’s government in Benue State and insisted that the people of the area must begin to see beyond by rising against activities of the bandits whom they unfortunately see as heroes of the area.
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“The need for the entire communities in Sankera to rise up and defeat the criminals is now before we are finally consumed by their activities. While we strongly commend the Catholic Bishop of Katsina-Ala for the bold move he underwent in trying to get these bandits pardoned, it is however getting clearer that from all evidence available ,their selfish and criminal activities still remain the major threats to peace and security in Sankera axis and Benue State at large.
“We have also discovered that some of these bandits are working with some fifth columnists to make the state ungovernable for political reasons, and we must stop them from achieving their evil mission, ” it added.
The group particularly tasked stakeholders in the Sankera axis to unite with a view to preventing the moles in their midst from further destroying the area with the ignoble help of external collaborators.
While thanking the Benue State governor for his painstaking efforts so far in enthroning lasting peace in the state, SAPEDEF appealed to both the federal and the Benue State Government to immediately deploy relief materials to the affected areas.
“As a peace advocacy group working with both security agencies and stakeholders in Sankera to bring lasting peace to our area, we note with concern the latest attacks that claimed many lives and injured many with property estimated at several millions destroyed.
“We commend security agencies, especially Operation Whirl Stroke, for their prompt and effective intervention in the attacks, thus preventing the situation from escalating and degenerating to an unimaginable level.
“This gallantry of the security men has given us more grounds to continue to support the special military outfit and other security agencies working in Benue State.
“We call on our people for possible support for the security agencies operating here through information sharing
“All that is needed for them to succeed and return Sankera to peace and progress is for all stakeholders to come together and speak truth to ourselves by calling out Chen, Full Fire Overall Konyo and Anyogo for who they are and and glory them.
“Even as these notorious bandits hail from our axis, we cannot run away from the fact that they are still criminals and working desperately as tools for political opponents to undermine the peace and smooth governance in Benue State,” the group said.
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