Benue Killings: IGP disobeyed my orders – Buhari 

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed surprise that the Inspector – General of Police, Ibrahim Idris disobeyed his order to relocate to Benue and end killings in the State after the January 1 attacks on some communities in Guma and Logo Local Government Areas.

Buhari stated this Monday during a meeting with major Benue stakeholders at the Benue Peoples House Makurdi when Governor Samuel Ortom informed him that the IGP did not relocated to Benue but came to state just day.

The president denied knowledge of the Inspector General of police flouting his directives of relocating to Benue to stop the killings, saying he was hearing such for the first time.

Buhari who reaffirmed his earlier call on Benue people to apply more restraint and learn how to leave with other people said, there is no way he will deliberately over look the security challenges that Benue is having because he has come a long way with indigenes of the state.

“I want to appeal to the representatives of various constituencies to appeal to their people to apply restraint because even after government, these farmers and herders can still live together, we as a government, we are doing our best to ensure that economic, security and the fight for corruption improve”

He promised to support farmers to particularly ensure the increased cultivation of Rice so as to reduce rice importation to 90 percent next farming season in the face of herders farmers crisis.

In an address, Governor Samuel Ortom called for the upgrading of the Military race in the state from exercise to Operation as it will help in stemming the excesses of herdsmen to pave way for farmers to go back to their homes now that the farming season is nearer.

Ortom who described the president as a man of integrity who always stand for justice reiterated his call for arrest of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore who have persistently threatened the Benue people and successfully executed their plans without any arrest.

He appealed to the federal government to assist the IDPs in rebuilding their homes, ravage schools and health centers and debunked the rumour that he is training militia.

” When I became the the governor of Benue state in 2015 I initiated amnesty programme which was approve by Mr president himself where over 700 arms and ammunition were recovered from the youths and destroyed, we have no militia we don’t even have thugs here in the state and as a man of God I will never encourage such a thing”

The governor called on Buhari to support the enforcement of the Benue Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment law and appealed to the president to assist the state with soft loan and grant to enable the state clear it backlog of salaries.

Also speaking, the Tor Tiv, Ochivirigh James Ayatse called on the re- designing of security architecture in the country such that will involve state and traditional rulers who are more closer to the
people.

Tor Tiv expressed dismay over responses of some service chiefs in the country on security issues, saying, people in such positions should be restrained in making statements that can trigger crises especially as it relates to security.

He appealed for the construction of drainages and dredging of river Benue as well as dualization of makurdi Gboko road to boost economic activities in the state.

Also, the president of peasant farmers in Nigeria, Terlumun Akputu disclosed that over 160,000 famers were displaced, attributing the inability of farmers to defend themselves during the attack by herdsmen to the amnesty progrmme of the governor.

Akputu appealed to the president to compensate and rebuild the homes of the displaced farmers to enable them go back to farming, now that the rain is approaching.

In a remark, the representative of Miyetti Allah Cattle breeders Association Shettima Muhammad who exonerated MACBAN from famers attack said, the association members were not in support of the attack saying they are fully in support of the law and appealed for unity and peace.

On her part, the representative of the civil society organisation Josephine Haba who said she is not only disappointed by the visit of the president bu she is also confused.

“How can a president come to a state where scores of people were killed without consoling or condemning the attack ,this is a slap to our faces, look at the okpokwu massacre victims yet to buried, no consolation words from the president, it is a shame. Haba maintained.

Also speaking, Former Benue State Governor during Buhari military junta, Atom Opera who described the president as a man of his words advised him to replicate what he did in other states like Zàmfara when cattle were rustled to Benue and faulted the IGP who was earlier deployed to the state for performing beyond expectations.

 

JAMES KWEN, MAKURDI