Atiku made empty promise to Benue People about Peace

One of the main issues of the current realities that Nigerians face is the havoc that have been wrecked by criminal herdsmen on the people of Benue State.

Guests an Contributors on the Journalists Hangout made this assertion while reacting to the Statement made by the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, on the return of peace to Benue State.

Babajide Kolade-Otitoju who led the discussion said the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, made the promise while also pointing to history of how he brought peace between the Fulani’s and Tivs in Benue State in 2001 with the signing of a peace agreement.

He said thousands if not millions have been sacked from their ancestral homes and lands by criminal herdsmen pushing a lot of people have been pushed into destitution and abject poverty with their means of livelihood taken over.

He added that the current situation is akin to that which is obtainable in a war situation.

According to him, many people are not aware of the extent of havoc wrecked by Criminal Herdsmen leading to them accusing the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, of playing to the gallery.

He said Governor Ortom wears the shoe and knows where it pinches leading to him making his regular intervention on the havoc being wrecked on his people by the criminal herdsmen.

He disclosed that the situation has left over two million people in Internally Displaced Persons Camps in Benue State.

He added that a lot of ancestral lands have been taken over by the criminal herdsmen with the original land owners, farmers and even traditional rulers unable to have access to their lands.

He also cited the example of Plateau State which has suffered as much from the activities of the Criminal Herdsmen.

He however said the talk of signing a peace deal is just needless if after a few months or years people return to killing each other, burning houses and taking over farmlands.

Anchor Ayodele Ozugbakun while reacting said the promise may not be one the people of Benue State may not trust.

Reacting to this, Adewale Adeoye, said the former Vice President has not done enough even in his private capacity since the beginning of the crisis despite being an honourary title holder in Tiv Land.

He added that the Former Vice President did not make any Statement for or against the carnage that the people of Benue State have suffered.

He disclosed that Atiku Abubakar has never shown empathy to the people of Benue in the challenges they face even with his home State of Adamawa a neighbouring State to Benue.

He said if he is an indigene of Benue State, the former Vice President will never get his vote describing all he is doing right now as a vote capturing move.

Contributing further, Babajide Kolade-Otitoju, said the issue in Benue has attracted the attention many people from other parties outside of the governing party, the Peoples Democratic Party, like the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, and even members of the All Progressives Congress who have visited the people and donated money and food to them.

He added that the Internally Displaced Persons problem in Benue State is huge with the Local Government area of the State Governor, Samuel Ortom, also under attack.

He disclosed that the killing has not stopped in Benue but has spread even into border communities in Ebonyi State.

According to Kolade-Otitoju, the Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, cried after witnessing the aftermath of the attack on a community in Ebonyi State by Criminal Herdsmen.