The Benue State Caucus in the House of Representatives has cried out
over withdrawal of soldiers, which they said has led to fresh attacks on
communities where several persons were killed.
The lawmakers said during a press conference in Abuja yesterday that
it was “suspicious” for government to withdraw personnel of the
Operation Cat Race and deploy them to other states, when normalcy had
not returned to the state.
Reading a prepared text, John Dyegh (APC, Benue) in company of three
of his colleagues, said there was no evidence that security operatives
had disarmed suspected killer herdsmen in the state.
He said, “We have cause once again to raise an alarm to the entire
nation and the international community about the state of perpetual
mourning that has been fostered upon the hapless citizens of our state
by the endless and unhindered killing of our innocent and defenseless
people by armed herdsmen.
“As it was with the New Year attacks, the herdsmen have been on
rampage in several communities in Guma, Gwer-west and Logo LGA’S since
the day after Easter killing and maiming women and children and
destroying homes and farmland without any intervention by security
operatives even though the federal governments exercise Cat Race or
‘Ayem A Kpatema’ is supposed to be in place.
“We are very seriously concerned and alarmed at the withdrawal of
Personnel of exercise Cat Race from Benue when the herdsmen menace has
not been curbed and the reasons for their continued deployment to other
states in the region which has left Benue even more vulnerable and has
paved the way for the recent despicable and premeditated attacks by the
herdsmen in our communities.
“We view this decision as very suspicious, condemnable and
ill-advised and leaves one to wonder about the military’s strategy or
lack of it in the fight against the killer herdsmen. We are worried that
there is still no evidence of the disarming of these killer herdsmen by
the military, police or any other security agency…”
They challenged the Federal Government to immediately explain to
Benue indigenes and the Nigerian people why the Cat Race exercise was
terminated in the State without a resolution of the issue.
“We urge the federal government to immediately declare these deadly
herdsmen as terrorists in view of their inhuman, volatile and
destructive activities and the international community to pay more
attention to this ongoing pogrom of Benue people and appeal for their
intervention in the provision of aid to the over 190,000 IDP’S at
different camps in Benue State.
“We believe it is only when these criminal and vicious elements are
properly designated and treated as terrorists that the spate of killings
would be put to rest,” he stated.