The Tor Tiv V, Professor James Ayatse, has commended the federal government for deploying Operation Whirl Stroke state, saying he has strong convictions that the soldiers will clear the affected areas taken over by the killers to enable those displaced return home. Prof. Ayatse, who is also the Chairman Benue State Council of Traditional Rulers, stated this when he led traditional rulers in the state to donate relief materials to internally displaced persons at the Abagena campin Makurdi
He. stated that it was high time the federal government took decisive action to flush out the invaders for the people who are mostly farmers to return home to continue with their farming activities. “Benue is the food basket of Nigeria and the people displaced must have to go back to their homes to enable them continue with theirfarming activities,” he stressed. He advised the people to be united and avoid staying in scattered settlements to protect themselves against external aggression. “There are advantages in living in cluster settlements.
If you live in cluster settlements, it will be easy for government to provide infrastructure, and amenities such as water and electricity and you can easily protect yourselves against external aggression,” he noted. He urged the IDPs to remain steadfast, noting that what they were going through could best be described as trial from God and surely has an end. “God has made me king over Tiv land, for Him to bless the land. God has not given me kingship to see how you are being killed but to make you great.
“The turbulence you are passing through is a test from God, He has a plan for you and you will surely see joy in its abundance,” he assured Earlier, the Executive Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr Emmanuel Shior, lamented that the state opened eight camps for the IDPs who were numbering 175,070 as at the last registration which was done first week of March.
