MAKURDI—Barely a week after a four-year-old boy was
burnt to death in a communal crisis between settlers
and indigenous people of Akumba village in Guma
Local Government Area of Benue State, the crisis
escalated early Sunday morning with the burning of
over 200 houses and huts in the community.
The renewed crisis in the community, which borders
the home village of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,
governorship candidate, Mr. Terhemen Tarzoor, is also
less than 10 kilometres from Makurdi, the state capital.
When Vanguard visited the community yesterday, the
helpless victims, including women and children, who
had deserted their homes, were seen loitering around
neighbouring villages without shelter or food.
Invasion
Narrating the ordeal of the people, one of the victims,
(names withheld) said the settlers, most of who were
from Vandeikya Local Government Area, stormed the
village with mercenaries at 6am, shooting and burning
houses and property.
He said: “This crisis has been on for some time now.
We were assured by our traditional ruler that the
matter has been resolved, but were taken aback when
early Sunday morning they (the settlers) mobilized
fighters who came shooting and burring down
everything in our village.
“Go further into the villages and you will discover that
over 200 houses, including motorbi-kes and cars have
been razed.
“We suspect the crisis may have taken a political
dimension because this is the home community of PDP
governorship candidate, and we gathered that the
attackers mobilized support from Tarka Local
Government, which is a stronghold of the opposition.
“After the attack, they moved back there to take cover.
“From all indications they want to ensure that we do
not mobilize votes for our son, who is the governorship
candidate of the PDP.
“This is a grand plan because the same scenario is
playing out in Agatu, where the deputy governorship
candidate of PDP, Mr. John Ngbede, hails from.”
Tarzoor begs for peace
Reacting to the development, Mr. Tarzoor, who
undertook an on-the-spot assessment of the
community, pleaded with the feuding parties to sheathe
their sword and live in peace.
He said: “Nothing whatsoever should divide us; people
who have lived together in peace over the years should
not, for any reason, take up arms against each other.
In the interest of our children and the future
generation, I plead that they live in peace.”
Reacting, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO,
Assistant Superintendent, ASP, Austin Ezeani, said the
Police had beefed up security in the community to
check an escalation of the crisis.
PUNCH
burnt to death in a communal crisis between settlers
and indigenous people of Akumba village in Guma
Local Government Area of Benue State, the crisis
escalated early Sunday morning with the burning of
over 200 houses and huts in the community.
The renewed crisis in the community, which borders
the home village of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,
governorship candidate, Mr. Terhemen Tarzoor, is also
less than 10 kilometres from Makurdi, the state capital.
When Vanguard visited the community yesterday, the
helpless victims, including women and children, who
had deserted their homes, were seen loitering around
neighbouring villages without shelter or food.
Invasion
Narrating the ordeal of the people, one of the victims,
(names withheld) said the settlers, most of who were
from Vandeikya Local Government Area, stormed the
village with mercenaries at 6am, shooting and burning
houses and property.
He said: “This crisis has been on for some time now.
We were assured by our traditional ruler that the
matter has been resolved, but were taken aback when
early Sunday morning they (the settlers) mobilized
fighters who came shooting and burring down
everything in our village.
“Go further into the villages and you will discover that
over 200 houses, including motorbi-kes and cars have
been razed.
“We suspect the crisis may have taken a political
dimension because this is the home community of PDP
governorship candidate, and we gathered that the
attackers mobilized support from Tarka Local
Government, which is a stronghold of the opposition.
“After the attack, they moved back there to take cover.
“From all indications they want to ensure that we do
not mobilize votes for our son, who is the governorship
candidate of the PDP.
“This is a grand plan because the same scenario is
playing out in Agatu, where the deputy governorship
candidate of PDP, Mr. John Ngbede, hails from.”
Tarzoor begs for peace
Reacting to the development, Mr. Tarzoor, who
undertook an on-the-spot assessment of the
community, pleaded with the feuding parties to sheathe
their sword and live in peace.
He said: “Nothing whatsoever should divide us; people
who have lived together in peace over the years should
not, for any reason, take up arms against each other.
In the interest of our children and the future
generation, I plead that they live in peace.”
Reacting, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO,
Assistant Superintendent, ASP, Austin Ezeani, said the
Police had beefed up security in the community to
check an escalation of the crisis.
PUNCH
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