Herders’ attacks: Benue youths threaten reprisals

By Joshua Egbodo
Abuja

A group, Vanguard Against Tiv Massacre (VATIM), has warned that there might reprisals “if the ongoing killings in Benue communities by suspected herdsmen do not abate,” even as hundreds of its members besieged the National Assembly yesterday, demanding immediate evacuation of herdsmen the state.

Spokesman of the protesters, who blocked the main entrance to the parliament for hours yesterday, Mr. Frank Utoo, in an interview with the journalists, said the move had become necessary as it was a farming season, when farmers were set to return to the farms.

He said no fewer than 30 lives among who were the aged, women and children, had been lost in the wake of the renewed attacks in Buruku local government area of Benue.
“It was unfortunate that the defenceless were the major targets of the hoodlums,” he said.
Also speaking, a member of the group, Mr. Tersoo Akula, said the killing has been going on for the past 12 years and government had been paying lip services.

He said: “Every year, we come here and we hear empty promises; what is this ‘everything within the limit of the law’ that we shall never do? We want to say that we are completely not satisfied with the response of the Government of Nigeria as far as herdsmen/farmers crisis is a concern in Benue.
“There seemed to be a classical agenda to wipe the Benue race, but this is our message, it is not possible. We are of the tribe of warriors, if not for the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we can protect ourselves.”

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