Present effort to find a lasting solution to the incessant farmers/ herdsmen clash
suffered a setback on Monday in Abuja as the peace meeting convened by the
Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris with governors and stakeholders from
Benue and Nasarawa States ended in a deadlock leading to the meeting being
postponed indefinitely.
The
postponement was to give room for an enlarged meeting that will have more
stakeholders in several theatres of conflicts in attendance.
Speaking
earlier at the meeting the Inspector General of Police appealed to all parties
to refrain from making inflammatory statements that is capable of aggravating
the situation. He urged them to do
everything that will promote peace, unity and progress in the area adding that
all hands must be on deck to for peace to reign.
In his own
remark the Secretary to the Benue State Government, Anthony Ior called for the
postponement of the meeting given that those who are supposed to be at the
meeting were not present. He stressed that the governors of Benue and Nasarawa,
Samuel Ortom and Tanko Almakura ought to have been in attendance as well as the
chairmen of local governments and traditional rulers in areas where the
incidents occurred. The SSG noted that no meaningful discussion could be made
without the presence and input from these stakeholders.
Also
speaking at the meeting, Senator Jack
Tilley-Gyado said that both the Tivs and Fulanis do not to be in the meeting
noting that they have never needed anybody to come in between them because they
have been friends and brothers for decades.
In his words
“We are playmates, where is this thing coming from. We must get to the root of
this matter. We must ask ourselves what cankerworm is trying to eat into our
body and we must remove that cankerworm with surgical operation that's
necessary."
He went down
memory lane of how the Benue State gave the former President Shehu Shagari the
highest votes in 1979 and they were rewarded with five ministerial slots. He
explained further that the same thing was repeated during the administration of
late Umaru Musa Yar'adua and they were compensated with Minister of Justice and
Chief Justice of Federation. He said that the entire justice system was in
their hands, he jokingly said that if they were bad people, they could have
"jailed everybody."
"Now we
have voted massively for the President Buhari; I want you (IGP) to ask him,
what is the problem ? What is the disconnect? Why this thing is happening just
like that? Let him sleep, dream and think about it. "
He called
for concerted effort to identify the enemies that are pitching them against
each other. He called for the postponement of the meeting given the absence of
their real leaders.
On his part
the Secretary to the Nasarawa State Government, Abdullahi Mohammed said that
the Nasarawa State is not at war with Benue State as being speculated in some
quarters.
Ordinarily i
see no reason why we should be here, but out of respect to your office, the
governor directed that we should come and anything that will require sustenance
of peace we should be part of it,” He remarked.
He noted
that Benue State have the right to make laws for good governance and they have
no objection to that but they are neighbors to the state and feel the impact
and bear the brunt of the effects of the application of the laws and that is
why they are vulnerable.
Mohammed
asked the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom to apologise to Nasarawa State
because of the statement he made claiming that Nasarawa State is providing
camping a "militia" that go into Benue to attack them and retreat
back to Nasarawa State. The comment led to a shouting match between the people
from the two states before the Inspector General of Police intervened and
calmed frayed nerves.
The IGP
urged the warring factions to sheathe their swords and desist from making any
inciting statements and also refrain from addressing press in the interest of
peace. He promised to meet with the governors of the two states and agree on
the new date and venue of the next meeting and convey it to all major
stakeholders.
Before the
commencement of the meeting it was gathered that the Benue state Governor,
Samuel Ortom had a closed-door meeting with the IGP and was ready to be part of
the meeting but left in annoyance when he noticed that his Nasarawa State
counterpart will not show up for the meeting.
The meeting
which was held on the 7th floor of the Force headquarters had in attendance
Emirs, traditional rulers from the two states, it also had in attendance
representatives of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Tivs, Idomas and
other ethnic nationalities.
Benue and Nasarawa meeting at Police HQ in Abuja
Benue and Nasarawa meeting at Police HQ in AbujaBenue and Nasarawa meeting at Police HQ in Abuja
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