ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!! A Press statement by benue youth in diaspora onincessant attacks of Fulani Marauders on Benue Farmers .

Being a press statement issued by Benue Youth in Diaspora during a press briefing addressing the incessant attacks on innocent Benue indigenes by suspected Fulani Marauders, held at Sharon Ultimate Suites, Area 3 Abuja, 22nd February, 2014.

PREAMBLE

Ladies and gentlemen of the press, we welcome you to this august interaction with a heavy heart and sorrow laden disposition due to the current security imbroglio in our dear Benue State.

2. This statement has become quite expedient due to the current spate of violence meted out on our mothers, old, aged, sick and children by perceived Fulani Marauders who have taken it upon themselve3s to ensure Benue is turned to t a state of wailing and sorrow.

The ugly trend has been a persistent over the years with little or no attention directed towards it even as hundreds lives and property worth millions of Naira have been wasted in the wake of this violence while the livelihood of our brethren is stolen from them.

It also very laughable that a state like Benue which boasts of serious presence of security forces; habouring a Tactical Air Command two major Army barracks and a Mobile police Squadron as well as a zonal headquarters of the Nigeria Police amongst other security paraphernalia, is bedeviled with such crisis.

To the chagrin of most of us who have left this wonderful state in search of bread and butter outside her beautiful shores is the negligence accorded the plight of an all important state like Benue in the security discourse of the nation. A state famed for providing the food needs of the Nigerian state to which it has been so dubbed the Food Basket of the Nation, is ravaged by saboteurs whose actions should be viewed as intending to visit famine on the Nigerian nation but the federal government turns a blind eye.

From the aforementioned unfortunate happenstances which are seemingly shrouded in mystery as to why and how they have come to be, we also strongly condemn the lack luster attitude to which the federal government has decided to treat this issue and the slow response to action from security council to which they millions of Benue people a responsibility.

Is it not indicting or embarrassing to hear that with the presence of these security agencies in the state it has been turned into a killing field with Fulani taking at will peoples livelihood. Preposterous is the fact that the most recent attacks have all been carried out around the vicinity of the Mobile police barracks along Makurdi-Naka road, sacking all the occupants around it. We ask, where then is our refuge?

8. It is based on these issues mentioned above that we state our position as follows:

That the state security council as a matter of urgency looks into ways at stopping further thorough fare of Fulani cattle herders and their likes into the state during their south wards migration.

That an inquisition is instituted to look into the possible reasons for the constant occurrence of this violence and practical measures be taken to put an end to it.

That the state government should increase pressure on the federal government to look into the issue of these unwarranted attacks on innocent Benue farmers.

That the federal government be made to see reason as to why it should send succour and compensation to victims of this unfortunate happenstance.

We also demand that as part of the terms of engagement of the inquisition search light be extended to the security outfits present in the state in a view to unravel accusations of their involvement in this crisis and their inability to put it under checks

Long Live Benue Youth in Diaspora

Long Live Benue State

Long Live Federal Republic of Nigeria

Signed:

Comrade Philip Agbese

President General