Benue killings: Navy arrests 28 ‘masterminds’

The Nigerian Navy yesterday disclosed that it has arrested 28 persons suspected to be masterminds of the killings in Omusu, Edumoga in Ogbadibo local government area of Benue state. Herdsmen had laid siege to Omosu, Edumoga community in Okpokwu local government area of the state on Monday and killed 26 persons among whom were women, children and the aged.
The Commandant and Provost of the Nigeria Navy Regulatory School, Makurdi, Commodore Edem Duke, disclosed this during the project on peaceful coexistence nationwide, North-central zone, organised by the Institute for peace and conflict Resolution (IPCR) in Makurdi.
He said the persons were arrested while receiving military training somewhere in the state. The Commandant, who was represented at the occasion by Commander Mark Abashi, did not, however, disclose the location where the arrests were made, neither did he give further details on the operation that led to the arrest.
He said it was unfortunate that issues of conflict were all over the nation, lamenting that the masterminds of such nefarious crimes after creating conflict situations leaves the burden of resolving it to security agencies. Duke urged Nigerians to embrace peace at all times, adding that it was only with peace that development could be achieved.
In his remarks, the Commander, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCSC), Benue state Command, represented by the Assistant Commander of the Corps, Yohanna Solomon, regretted that most of the crises were perpetuated in the name of religion. He appealed to Nigerians to learn to tolerate one another for peace to reign. In his welcome address, the Director-General, IPCR, Prof. Oshita Osang Oshita, said the country was faced with several issues that were threatening its corporate existence as a nation from all fronts.
“Nigeria is today contending with various forces of polarisation. At times like this, we as Nigerians must reinforce our unity and bonding as a basis for the various components. “We must recommit to the corporate existence of the country in the face of complex domestic challenges of insecurity including the insurgency in the Northeast, secessionist agitations in the South-east, militancy in the Southsouth, kidnapping and sporadic yet reoccurring violent clashes between herders and sedentary farmers.
“Against the backdrop of growing inter-ethnic and religious intolerance and increasing tensions between herders and sedentary farmers across the country, the IPCR as the apex peace building and conflict management of the federal government, is using this nationwide publicity and advocacy to remind us all of the need for peaceful coexistence in Nigeria,” he said

 

Leave a Reply