Dangote, Benue communities seal development pact - ITREALMS

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It was a jubilation galore in Gboko, Benue State, on Wednesday as Dangote Cement Plc and six host communities signed historic Community Development Agreement (CDA), reports ITREALMS.

The landmark accord, which commits Dangote Cement to multimillion-naira development initiatives, was celebrated as a transformative milestone, with the communities pledging to uphold a peaceful coexistence.

Buhari commences visit to Taraba, Benue, Yobe, Zamfara, Rivers States

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President Muhammadu Buhari has commenced official visit to some five security troubled states across the country, including Taraba, Benue, Yobe, Zamfara and Rivers States, reports ITRealms.

Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), Mr. Femi Adesina, revealed this to ITRealms, attributing the visit to recent terrorist attacks, criminal activities and communal clashes in some States leading to tragic loss of lives and kidnapping of 110 schoolgirls.

Based on the reports from Armed Forces and Security agencies, President Buhari decided to pay personal visits to the affected states.

According to Adesina, from today, March 5, Buhari will visit Taraba, and subsequently Benue, Yobe, Zamfara and Rivers States.

“President Buhari has been receiving daily briefings, and has been in constant touch with the Governors, and has been updated with situation reports,” he said.

Further, he said, the President called on all Nigerians especially those in the affected areas to cooperate fully with the security agencies to enable them curb the spate of crimes, bring those responsible to justice and prevent further occurrences.

Gbemi Ayandokun Omotoso 

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Benue: Herdsmen attack is terrorism - Archbishop Martins

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The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, His Grace Most Rev Dr Alfred Adewale Martins has condemned in strong terms the recent killing of over 75 innocent villagers in parts of Benue and Adamawa States, describing it as an act of terrorism, reports ITRealms.

Archbishop Martins while commiserating with the family members and relations of the deceased said the attack is a national calamity that must be seen as an act of terrorism.

He also described as most unfortunate and regrettable the failure of the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari to effectively protect the lives and properties of the citizens from the hands of the marauders.

The visibly angry clergy man wondered why the FG incessantly failed to arrest the perpetrators and sponsors of the heinous crimes. 

"We often see people who openly come out in the media to justify the callous actions of the criminals while issuing threats that the killing would continue even as they deny knowing those who are responsible," he decried.

Pointing out that such inaction by the authorities was capable of sending the wrong signal to the masses that the marauding herdsmen are indeed above the law of the nation.

“While we acknowledge the efforts being made to beef up security in the affected places at this time, we cannot but say that it has come too late for those who have already been killed and those who have been maimed and inflicted with life-changing injuries," Martins said.

The Federal Government, he said, owes the nation the responsibility to ensure peace and equal attention to threats to peace across board. For instance, the failure to deploy the military to the affected areas to protect the people and flush out the perpetrators in spite of the various letters purportedly forwarded to the Presidency  by Governor Ortom of Benue State, gives one the impression that the matter was not given the serious attention that it deserved as was done in Niger Delta and the North East. Like many others, I feel strongly that the barbaric actions of the gun totting herdsmen and similar groups like them should be likened to acts of terrorism and should be so designated. We would like to have a clear idea of what it means to create cattle colonies in the various states in order to know about the proposed  lasting solution to these killings.”

While urging the Federal Government to urgently call an all-stakeholders meeting in Abuja to seriously appraise the root cause of the conflicts and find amicable solutions to them, insisting that cattle rearing remain a private  enterprise which  should be subject to similar laws guiding business enterprises across the country. 

“If the cost of doing the business in a sustainable way is too high for individual cattle owners, then banks should be given the mandate to provide loans at favourable terms in the same way as they provide for poultry farmers, for example.

Archbishop Martins went on to pray God to grant the souls of the departed eternal rest, healing to the wounded and consolation to those who mourn.

Uj. N. Dominic/ ED, ops
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Benue herdsmen attack: Tiv community wants IGP to disarm Hausa-Fulani

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The Tiv community in Lagos State, under the auspices of Mdzough U Tiv (MUT), has called on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim K.Idris, to  urgently disarm the irate Hausa -Fulani youths in Benue, especially Makurdi, reports ITRealms.

President General, MUT, Prince Aondowase Ikyernum Kajo, made this appeal after Saturday and Sunday night attacks on their host community in Wadata area of Makurdi where some Tiv residents were killed, others sustained varying degrees of injuries and their houses burnt by the rampaging youths.

Also, they alleged that intelligence information at their disposal indicated that there is a huge stockpile of dangerous arms and ammunitions in mosques, homes, shops and many other unidentified places by the Hausa -Fulani residents in the state.

With the kind of arms these rampaging youths were brandishing, and recklessly attacking Makurdi residents, it means they are well prepared to do the worst, hence, the urgent need to clampdown on the aforementioned places and confiscate those weapons.

It would amount to double standards by the Nigerian security agencies (soldiers) who hastily arrested the Benue State livestock guards who were on a legitimate duty protecting their communities against marauding Fulani herdsmen terrorists but looked the other way when other tribes are causing severe harm to the lives and property of our people with more highly sophisticated weapons.

Remember that during the state government Amnesty program, only  Benue indigenes submitted over 700 arms to the state. It is not logical for people who are armless to be living in the midst of their dangerously armed visitors that are daily inflicting pains on them unchallenged.

We also warn that those sponsoring these irate youths recently drafted to Benue with no viable source of living to cause chaos paving the way for a declaration of state of emergency in Benue should have a rethink as such diabolical agenda would not succeed in our state.

We thank the governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, for standing firm with his people in these trying times. We also thank the Benue Traditional Council, led by HRM Prof. James Ayatse, Tor Tiv V, heads of all the socio-cultural organizations in the state and religious leaders for their efforts to see that these unprovoked attacks on our people stop.

We equally thank other critical stakeholders in this struggle to save our lives especially media professionals, social media activist, civil society organizations, the good people of Benue and well meaning Nigerians for standing with us.

We deeply sympathize with the families who lost their loved ones and  also wish the injured speedy recovery.

This is as we call on President Buhari who is the Commander in Chief of the armed forces to end this pogroms against Benue people by Fulani herdsmen terrorists.

Nonye Dom/GEE

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Benue genocide: Buhari, FG aware 17months before – Amb. Hagher

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The former Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada, AmbassadorProfessor Iyorwuese Hagher has alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government (FG) were aware of herdsmen attack on communities in Benue State, 17 months before execution, reports ITRealms.

Reacting to the New Year day attack by herdsmen suspected to be members of Miyetti Allah in Benue, the two-time Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Amb. Hagher in an open letter made available to ITRealms, disclosed that he had hinted President Buhari and his All Progressive Congress (APC) Federal Government of a likelihood of a terrible genocide across some five states, namely Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Southern Kaduna, and Southern Adamawa States.

“I had warned you of the possibility of a horrendous genocide in Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Southern Kaduna, and Southern Adamawa States. I asked you to be proactive and stop the genocide that has been ongoing but which would burst out in the open and shock the world within 18 months,” he declared.

As said by Amb. Hagher, the Federal Government had  replied his letter on September, 28th 2016, and the reply was couriered to him in the United States, thanking me “immensely” which gave him the assurances that the advice would be heeded.

However, he lamented that “With the current situation on ground, I regret to now inform you that it is 17 months since my warning and prediction and your government did nothing to pre-empt or prevent the genocide.  The nomadic terrorists have finally accelerated the ethnic cleansing in Benue State. They have strategically moved against the Tiv, the largest minority ethnicity in northern Nigeria. These perpetrators believe that if they can ethnic cleanse the Tiv, then nobody can stand in their way to possess the land and carve a new geo-polity and demography for the middle-belt,” he said.

He expressed regrets that President Muhammadu Buhari has allowed the genocide in the Middle Belt to go on unimpeded, thus betraying his campaign promise to Nigerians that his government ‘‘will always act in time and not allow problems to irresponsibly fester.’’

Hagher also said that in letting the Benue genocide to take place, the Buhari government has acted irresponsibly and has allowed problems to fester and failed to act on time. "You have also failed to lead from the front; giving the impression that centrifugal forces around you are dictating vicious anti-people agenda!"

Equally, he expressed pain that the advice he gave President Buhari in a private memorandum dated July 30, 2016 was ignored.

Hagher, who was a second republic Senator on the platform of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN), further reminded the President that “the protection of lives and property of the citizens is more important than your war against corruption! The protection of lives of citizens is the most sacred responsibility of the state and your presidency. Your government has failed woefully in this regard. Mr President there is no greater corruption than the government looking the other way while the strong bullies and kills the weak with impunity and pleasure!”

He bemoaned that in President Buhari’s passion to rid the country of corruption, he totally ignored nation building and ended up with a very divided country. “You have failed your immediate Northern constituency by your inability, failure or lack of the political will to end northern poverty through measures that enhance school enrolment, promote girl-child education, and revive dead industries.

Hagher, who is the Executive Director of African Leadership institute based in Ohio, USA, noted that Buhari became Nigeria’s president on the altar of northern unity when the northern minorities abandoned President Goodluck Jonathan to vote for him.  “You have now desecrated that altar. By refusing to arrest those that brutally butchered defenseless innocent Benue women and children, you have imperiled northern unity and taken sides with evil,” he told the President.

Many Nigerians, he told Buhari, think “you have failed the country by the lack of a clear vision and a lack of capacity to provide needed infrastructure and a composite holistic development; more significantly, they think you have failed to institute a political culture of integrity. You are often compared with the lone King Sisyphus of Ephyra who was punished by the gods to roll an immense border up the hill, only to watch it roll back down, then condemned to repeat the same rolling action forever. This is the picture people have in mind of your war against endemic corruption. You honestly deserve pity and prayers, but certainly not support for a second term.”

While acknowledging that President Buhari still has a horde of admirers, which still look up to him with great admiration, Amb. Hagher, though said, “the Benue genocide seriously questions your integrity, and your capacity to lead a plural modern state. Is there a rule of law in this country? Why does the Miyetti Allah act with so much impunity? Is this because this terrorist group claims you as their life patron? Do not accept the clamor of those who for their personal political reasons urge you to contest in the 2019 election to be a second term president! Mr. President, please rise above the impression being given that you are just another power obsessed and hungry politician! “

He advised President Buhari to “step aside and open the political space for another person to continue your war against corruption with a more comprehensive development program that Nigeria needs and deserves.”

“For now, modernize infrastructure and try to banish poverty. And while your party campaigns for 2019, take a sabbatical from partisanship and   build national unity, good governance and concentrate on getting rid of Boko Haram and the Herdsmen Terrorists. After all, great people are not great for winning elections; rather they are known to be great by the legacy they leave behind. With what legacy do you wish the country to remember you for? It is unfortunate that family members of those that were hacked to death will remember you as the genocide president,” he said.

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

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Benue killings, invitation to civil war – Yaro

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The Benue State chairman of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, Comrade Abba Yaro has described the massive killing of over 50 Benue people by the Fulani herdsmen as an invitation for civil war, reports ITRealms.

A press statement made available to ITRealms in Abuja, Yaro decried the recent killings as an attempt to spark second civil war in Nigeria, insisting that, it is clear case of ethnic cleansing around the Benue Valley which must be stopped immediately.

While calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately call the Fulani  to order and as well direct security agents to fetch out the killers, he also called on all Benue Sons and daughters, irrespective of Party affiliation to rise in defense of Benue Community.

"This is above Party politics, it is human lives, how can you kill a pregnant woman and removed the unborn child yet slaughtered it? It is barbaric, unspeakable and generally unpalatable".

Yaro says the Anti Open Grazing Law in Benue is not targeted at any section of the people but for the general security of Benue State, a measure against cattle rustling and a solution to herders/farmers clash.

"The implementation is ongoing and we are in support of our governor, we are not deterred, the Anti Open Grazing Law has come to stay.

"Nigerians should not see the killings as a Benue problem but National crisis, the absence of peace in Benue is an absence of peace in Nigeria.

"We must treat it as a national ethnic cleansing by the Fulanis and collectively pressurize Mr President to put an end to it. If Boko Haram can be defeated, IPOB stopped, Fulani killings can be stopped", he observed. 

He further call on the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Buratai, the Interior Minister Lt Gen Danbazau, the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, the Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris to protect Benue community or "we rise in self defence, which will amount to the second civil war."

Yaro emphasized that, "if the Fulanis are not called to order by the relevant authorities to stop the ethnic cleansing, like the lawless Fulanis are doing, Benue people shall take laws into their hands in selfdefense".

UbosheUboshe/GEE

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Buhari commiserates with Benue, victims

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The President, Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with the good people of Benue State, and the Governor Samuel Ortom over the reported killings and attack in the New Year day, reports ITRealms.

He also commiserated with several persons and condemned wanton destruction of property in Guma and Logo Local Government Areas of the state in the New Year.

The president expressed immense sadness at the wicked and callous attacks on innocent children.

Further, he assured the governor and people of the state that relevant security agencies have been directed to arrest those behind the regrettable incidents and avert future attacks.

Also, President Buhari commiserated with families of the victims and wished the injured speedy healing.

Gbemi Omotoso/GEE

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