Benue killings: We may take laws into our hands if...Gemade threatens

Sen. Barnabas Gemade   (PDP-Benue) on Tuesday appealed to the government to raise a defence force to comb the affected areas in Benue to get rid of those causing the crises in the state.

Gemade made the appeal in Abuja when he spoke to newsmen on the constant attacks on the Tiv/Idomas by people who, he said, have been hiding under the guise of Fulani herdsmen.

The senator alleged that most of the attackers were not herdsmen but miscreants that had the motive of causing internal crisis in the country especially in the Middle Belt region.

“I think they really want to see some war fought in the middle belt part of the country which is a very big shame.

“Otherwise, how can you see an insurgence taking place in the middle of the country and the people who are doing this are coming from neighboring countries such as Chad, Mali, Cameroon, Congo and many others.

“How did they pass through all the land that they passed through before getting to Benue which is right in the middle of the country?”

He said it was a matter that the security agencies needed to look into very critically.

According to him, the development is very worrisome and requires the immediate attention of the federal government to investigate and bring those behind the killings to book.

“It is a matter that needs very urgent action by a combination of all the security agencies in this country to fish out the people behind this,” he said.

Gemade said  that it was not only in Benue that there was fertile  land as there are many other tribes living in the Benue region where the land is very fertile and full of grass for animals.

“This tells you clearly that there is a motive behind it and this motive is not just addressed to the people living on fertile land but against a system.

“That system is against the peaceful existence of Nigeria and the peaceful performance of the government of the nation at this time.”

He said the government must act fast to protect the people to prevent them from taking laws into their hands.

 “We are also calling on people in these affected areas to be vigilant and they should not aid and abet those coming into their lands to go and attack the people.

“We are not the only ones living on fertile lands, so why are they not attacking the other people. Let them not push us to a point where will have to raise an army.

“We are calling on people in this country not to allow our people take laws into their hands.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the crisis has been ongoing since January with several people leaving their villages to take refuge in villages closer to Makurdi, the state capital. (NAN)