In view of the alleged partisanship on the part of some security agents in tackling the herdsmen perpetrating the ongoing mass killings in Benue State, Ejiofor Alike writes that some compromised security operatives protecting the killers should be sanctioned to dispel the widespread speculations that the marauding herdsmen have the backing of some unseen forces
A senior military officer, one soldier and no fewer than 15 others were reportedly the latest victims of the ongoing mass killings of villagers by herdsmen in Benue State.
In a renewed attack in Edikwu 2 Council Ward of Apa Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, the communities under siege by the invaders since Tuesday include: Odogbo and Opaha, the hometown of the lawmaker representing Apa State Constituency in the state House of Assembly, Hon. Abu Umoro; and the state Commissioner for Finance, Mr. David Olofu.
Before the latest attacks, the Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) in Edikwu Ward 2, Mr. Nathaniel Ochoche, had last weekend joined the growing list of victims of the coordinated attacks on the communities in the state by herdsmen.
Ochoche was said to be among the four mourners, who were killed in an ambush that left many injured and several others missing in Ankpali village, Edikwu District of Apa LGA.
"As a party, with a people-centred programme, we condemn in its totality the continuous callous acts of armed Fulani militia. We, therefore, call on the federal and state governments, and all relevant authorities and stakeholders to rise up to the occasion of protecting the lives and property of the people and stop the unwarranted killings by suspected criminal Fulani herdsmen," LP reportedly said in a statement issued in Makurdi by its state Publicity Secretary, Mr. Tersoo Orbunde.
Despite the heavy military presence in the state, the rampaging herdsmen said to be from the Republic of Niger, Senegal, Chad and other neighbouring countries, have killed over 200 people in a suspected land-grabbing mission in the state within the last eight weeks, according to the residents.
Some of the security agents in the state, many of whom have lost their lives to the invaders, seem to have either been overwhelmed or culpable in the killings.
The troops of Operation 'Ayem Akpatuma III' of the 4 Special Forces Command' providing security in both Nasarawa and Benue states, were able to kill the Tiv militia leader, Terwase Akwaza, widely known as Gana, in April 2020.
The soldiers also neutralised many of his gang members, ending their criminal exploits.
But the herdsmen who have committed more heinous crimes since 2015 than Gana and his men have continued to have a field day.
Though the 72 Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Makurdi and troops of the Operation Whirl Stroke operating in Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba and Zamfara states, had recorded a number of arrests and killings of the attackers, most of the recent attacks carried out for several consecutive days, were hardly challenged by the security agents on ground.
After the recent killing of over 100 people, including traditional chiefs in Apa LGA, youths in the area last week blocked the Oweto-Loko/Abuja expressway, alleging that soldiers posted to the area were protecting the herdsmen.
The subtle protection allegedly enjoyed by the killers may have accounted for the inability of the military, which degraded Boko Haram fighters who carry superior weapons, to defeat the AK-47-wielding herdsmen.
Within the first week of March, the herders invaded six communities in the Kwande LGA of the state, killing no fewer than 50 people in a four-day attack, despite the heavy presence of security forces in the state.
The former chairman of the council, Tertsua Yarkbewan, who confirmed the casualty figures, said the death toll could be more.
But the state police command spokesperson, Catherine Anene, who also confirmed the attack, disputed the casualty figure.
"They have not given me the report but it is not up to 50," she reportedly said.
Following the sustained attacks, the farming communities in Kwande LGA had in an open letter told President Muhammadu Buhari that the Fulani herdsmen killed over 50 people in an attack that lasted for 10 days unchallenged.
Twice within 24 hours at the beginning of March, the herdsmen attacked the Umuogidi community in Otukpo LGA, killing 46 persons, including a policeman.
The Chairman of Otukpo LGA, Bako Ejeh, who confirmed the attack, lamented that he lost his 32-year-old son, nephew, and brother-in-law.
Following the editorials by THISDAY and Daily Trust, condemning the killings, an outraged presidency, which should be worried that foreign invaders are wiping out Nigerian communities, chose to mock Ortom for losing his senatorial bid in the recent elections.
The presidency in a statement by President Muhammadu Buhari's Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu accused the outgoing governor of frustrating all peaceful efforts made towards solving the security situation in the state.
Though the statement listed the security measures put in place to bring peace to Benue State, it failed to acknowledge that these security measures have failed woefully to defeat the herders.
This apparent weakness on the part of the security agencies has raised suspicion among the residents of the state that the security measures were intended to protect the killers and shield them from reprisals from the Benue communities.
The failure of the various security agencies to end the killings had forced Ortom to set up Livestock Guards to enforce the anti-open grazing law he had enacted.
However, this paramilitary outfit could not defeat the killers who wield superior weapons.
With the escalating attacks, Ortom temporarily suspended the enforcement of the law earlier this month to enable the foreign herders who claimed that they came into the state unaware of the law to leave the state with their cattle.
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It beats every imagination that the presidency which controls the armed forces, police, Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies have constantly resorted to blaming the state governor who has no power over the security agencies.
Residents of the state deserve to know why the military, which defeated Boko Haram fighters and their heavy armoured tanks, anti-aircraft weapons, land mines, Rocket-Propelled Grenades (RPG) and rocket launchers, could not defeat AK-47-wielding herdsmen.
Reacting to the latest attack on him by the presidency, Ortom reiterated that President Buhari endorsed the intractable killings in the state.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, the governor blamed the intractable massacres in Benue on Buhari's "endorsement" of the violent activities of herdsmen whom he said are of the Fulani ethnic extraction as the president.
"Buhari has empowered and emboldened the Fulani pastoralists in their expansionist agenda, including killings," he added.
Indeed, many Nigerians believe that the herdsmen are the untouchables, having perpetrated killings in most of the states without consequences.
President Buhari should dispel this notion by sanctioning some compromised and bigoted security agents who are believed to be protecting those involved in mass killings in Benue State.
