Worried by the ongoing security challenges in Benue State, the Benue Survival Group, BSG, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency in the state.
The BSG President, Nungwa Tavershima, in a statement on Wednesday, said doing so would enable security forces flush out criminal elements and retrieve “light and small arms in the hands of some citizens”.
According to him, aside from the attack on Governor Samuel Ortom by gunmen last week, there is a consistent rise in high profile killings in the state.
The statement said: “The latest attempt on the governor is the height of the deteriorating security in the land with no iota of control measures in place.
“This is the obvious given that the state government has completely fallen short of protecting lives and property which is the basic and most important priority sworn to as one assumed such an office in the land.
“For some time now, the security situation in our state has worsened as a result of the unabated crisis between herders and farmers and the killings and burning of property in Sankera by militia groups led by the former warlord Terwase Akwaza alias”GANA “.
“Sequel to his death the militia has been on rampage, killing, maiming and destroying lives and property.
“Assassinations leading to gruesome murder of people as recently seen in the killing of Terkula Suswam and wife of the former police commissioner in the state, Mrs Eunice Aghanya are real threats to life we have to contend with meanwhile the chief security officer of the state appears to be helpless.
‘‘It is frightening as people are quietly being assassinated in the state, Denen Igbana, the senior special assistant to the Governor on special security was gunned down in his home in the state capital.
“In the same manner, Principal Special Assistant to Governor Samuel of Ortom of Benue State on Knowledge Economy and Investments, Tavershima Adyorough has been murdered in cold blood without a trace or any culprits apprehended and prosecuted.
Mr Tavershima revealed that communal clashes and cult related killings leading to destruction of lives and property are also on the rise.
“There has been long time intra tribal war at Tyo-Mu between the Tivs, the boundary crisis between konshisha and Oju leading to the destruction of Ukpute, Ima, Ochoro, Ekinyo, and Agbada-Ichwo village all located around the boundary between the two LGAs.
“Abinsi, a settlement along Gboko road has witnessed protracted killings, burning of houses and destruction of properties too.
“More worrisome is the fact that no arrests and diligent prosecution has been done,” he concluded.
