The southern and middle belt leaders forum has warned the presidency against declaring a state of emergency in Benue state and has also called for the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for killings in the state and other parts of the country.The forum revealed this after a meeting of southern and middle belt leaders in Abuja. The meeting had in attendance Chief Clark, who led the south-south delegation; Chief Ayo Adebanjo, at the head of southwest delegation; Chief John Nwodo, southeast, and Bala Takaya.
The leaders reviewed events after its visit to Benue over the Monday, January1, killings. They said:“President Muhammadu Buhari has not lived up to the expectations of his office by keeping mute on the killings, visiting neighbouring Nasarawa and Adamawa states, while ignoring Benue.”
In a communiqué by Yinka Odumakin, the forum expressed its worries over soldiers’ activities in the state.
It said:”Soldiers drafted to Benue state under Operation Cat Dance, were allegedly”circulating leaflets, calling Tiv cattle rustlers, which clearly suggests that the operation is ostensibly meant to turn victims into villains and decimate their capacity for self-defence.”In its resolution, the leaders resolved:”President Buharitostop the killings in Benue and other parts of the country by disarming herdsmen and fishing out culprits for prosecution.”
It further warned:”Any plot to declare a state of emergency in Benue State, as being canvassed by some sponsored group, as such a move in the Western Region had dire consequences in the past.”
It also called for an investigation into the statement credited to the director general of Department of State Services(DSS), at the Senate security meeting which alleged that sophisticated weapons used by suspected herdsmen are from the armouries of security bodies.
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