Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, the governor of Benue State, has condemned the attack on members of the Cow Dealers Cooperative Society, Katsina-Ala Local Government Area (LGA) chapter by criminals operating around the axis of Kwande LGA….CONTINUE READING...CONTINUE READING
The governor has, accordingly, ordered traditional rulers around the Nyihemba community of Kwande LGA of the state, where the attack took place to fish out perpetrators of the act within the next seven days.
But, reacting to the marching order by Governor Alia to traditional rulers in the area to fish out perpetrators of the act, the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said, while it condemns the killing of the two traders, it equally condemns the killings of hundreds of defenseless Benue people by armed herders and other terrorists.
He insisted that Governor Alia would have remained mute over the attack on the herders, instead of being biased because Benue people are getting used to the blanket of silence and blindness which the governor has adopted over applied on issues relating to insecurity, including killing by herdsmen.
In a statement signed by Bemgba Iortyom, the State Publicity Secretary, of the party also condemned the hasty manner with which Governor Alia reacted to the alleged killing of the traders, despite being silent over the repeated killings of innocent people, including women and children in Benue by herdsmen.
Sunday Independent learnt that the attack took place at Nyihemba, when the truck conveying cattle and bags of rice among other goods owned by the herders toppled in the area, leading to the incident.
The governor condemned the act, which he described as criminal during a peace meeting, at Jato-Aka Council hall on Friday, where a delegation of the state government as well as other relevant stakeholders met to investigate issues surrounding the attack.
Other stakeholders at the meeting were drawn from across the local government area as well as representatives of the Cattle Dealers Association.
Governor Alia, who had expressed displeasure over the incident, subsequently directed that traditional rulers who are custodians of the communities, should produce the criminals believed to be youths within the communities, adding that they had seven days within which to produce perpetrators of the act.
Also speaking at the occasion, Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Hon. Fidelis Unongo, who is from the area, expressed regrets that such an act was emanating in a region that was already benefiting enormously from the governor’s innovative administration.
In a remark, the Secretary, Cow Dealers Cooperative Society, Katsina-Ala Local Government Chapter, in the state, Alh. Muniru Bawa, explained that two of his were killed by the bandits, while 11 others were still missing.
The Mue-Ter, the traditional ruler of the area, Chief Ichongo Baver, confirmed the incident, observing that the community was deeply disturbed by the incident and was already working with the local security agencies to unravel the identity of the perpetrators.
While he noted that the action of the youths was shameful, he insisted that they acted out of order, adding that he was hopeful that the culprits would be identified, arrested and handed over to the security agencies as directed by the governor.
However, the PDP, through its Publicity Secretary, Bemgba Iortyom, described the governor’s order as double standard and contradictory of his stance on security issues, since he had allegedly not reacted to killings of Benue people.
He said, “The PDP in Benue State describes as biased and a double standard the ultimatum issued by Governor Hyacinth Alia to traditional rulers in Kwande LGA of the state to produce alleged killers of traders in the area.
“In a statement through his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Governor Alia specifically and conclusively passed a verdict of guilty on youths at Nyihemba area of Kwande as being responsible for an attack which allegedly occurred against traders in transit there resulting in the deaths of two of the traders….CONTINUE READING
