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A civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has blamed President Muhammadu Buhari for the continuous invasion of parts of Benue state by armed Fulani herdsmen and the killing of scores of farmers and rendering of thousands of children, old men women as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS).
As a result of this development, HURIWA said in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emma Onwubiko, that it has resolved to write a petition to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr.Antonio Guiterres, the President of the United States of America Joe Biden and the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Liz Truss, on the systematic genocidal killings of Benue citizens by armed Fulani herdsmen whilst the Federal government failed to take step to stop the prolonged, coordinated attacks.
The rights group blamed the increasing spate of targeted attacks in Benue State to the refusal of President Buhari to authorize the Benue State’s legally constituted vigilantes to bear high-grade weapons so as to wage successful war on armed non-state actors that have commenced massive attacks since July when the state inaugurated its licensed vigilantes.
Suspected killer herdsmen recently attacked Tse Ngojov and Tse Valem Yaweh in the Mbagum community of Tombo council ward, Logo local government area and killed six people.
Besides, HURIWA confirmed that it has received verified official information that “On 21st September 2022, at about 10:00 pm, armed Fulani herdsmen attacked Mchia village in Nbagber Council ward of Logo LGA and murdered 12 persons and shot fifteen persons, including children who were now receiving treatment at NKST hospital, Anyiin.
The invaders were also alleged to have carried out a separate attack on Mou village in Ukemberegy/Tswarev Council ward, Logo LGA and murdered two persons.
The attack was unprovoked, says HURIWA.
HURIWA quoted another local source as stating that the heavily armed herdsmen came in large numbers, shooting sporadically.
The group said it confirmed that: “On August 10, 2022, at about 9:00 p.m., armed Fulani herdsmen attacked Tse Ngojov and Tse Valem Yaweh in Mbagum community Tombo council ward Logo LGA and murdered six persons while several others sustained injuries,” HURIWA quoted a source as saying.
HURIWA recalled that the Logo council chairperson, Hon Mrs Salome Tor, confirmed the killings thus: “Six people were killed. 12 people were badly injured, and corpses of deceased persons have been deposited at the Primary Health Care Centre in Ayilamo. People are running helter-skelter, moving from the hinterlands to the Ayilamo town,” adding that Tor said she has reported the matter to the security adviser to the governor and sent him pictures of those killed, including the injured.
HURIWA recalled that the Police Command in Benue also confirmed the incident.
HURIWA said the attack came barely a week after Ortom launched the Benue Community Volunteers Guards which the rights group alleged that the attacks were well funded and clearly being carried out with a mindset of wiping out the population of Benue State.
The rights group condemned officials of the office of the President who it accused of consistently attacking Governor Samuel Ortom for being outspoken and for taking concrete steps to set up vigilantes to ward off these systematic attacks on his people.
Reacting to the persistent violence unleashed by armed Fulani terrorists in parts of Benue State, HURIWA stated that it was inconceivable that President Buhari would refuse to allow the Benue State Vigilantes, as well as Amotekun in the South West, to be armed with sophisticated weapons to combat the massive attacks by armed Fulani herdsmen and wondered why it is so.
HURIWA has therefore called on the National Assembly to investigate why President Buhari has rejected the lawful requests by states like Benue and Ondo for sophisticated weapons for their legally constituted vigilantes, whereas similar vigilantes in Katsina State were carrying sophisticated weapons which were helping to reduce the frequency of devastating attacks by armed Fulani terrorists.
HURIWA recalled that the Ondo Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, had lambasted the Federal Government of Nigeria, noting that the country cannot have two systems.
In a statement, Akeredolu reacted to the video showing the Katsina security outfit obtaining the approval to bear arms.
The governor said this followed government’s denial of the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun Corps) to carry assault rifles, despite terror attacks.
Akeredolu noted that denying Amotekun the rights to legitimately bear arms was a repudiation of the basis of true federalism which many Nigerians have been clamoring for.
“That Katsina was able to arm its state security force, with the display of AK47 means we are pursuing one country, two systems solution to the national question.
“If the Katsina situation conferring advantages on some, in the face of commonly faced existential threats, it means that our unitary policing system, which has failed, is a deliberate method of subjugation which must be challenged.”
The governor said Nigeria’s independence agreement was based on a democratic arrangement to have a federal state and devolved internal security mechanics. We must go back to that agreement.
The statement announced that the Ondo Government, under the doctrine of necessity, “has decided to fulfil its legal, constitutional and moral duty to the citizens of the state, by acquiring arms to protect them.”
“This is more so, given that the bandits have an unchecked access to sophisticated weapons. The State government cannot look on while its citizens are being terrorized and murdered with impunity. We will defend our people,” Akeredolu said.
HURIWA has therefore asked Governors who genuinely wish to combat armed invasions of their communities to do the needful to save their states from coordinated and predetermined destruction by by armed Fulani terrorists.