July 17, (THEWILL) – The Benue Patriotic Front (BPF) has tongue-lashed the Benue Youth Forum (BYF) over its recent comments calling on the Minister for Special Duties and Inter-Govermental Affairs, Senator George Akume, to apologise to Benue people over herdsmen’s attacks in the state.
Dan-Morgan Ihomun, President of BPF, in a strongly worded statement made available to THEWILL in Makurdi, described the call as an insult on the sensibilities of Benue people, holding that the Senator was too big to be dragged into such antics by those he described as hired dogs of the ruling PDP in the state.
The statement said: “We have read yet again, another malicious communique from a sponsored group that parades itself as Benue Youth Forum were they alleged that the Hon. Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs Sen. George Akume “has taken sides with Fulani herdsmen” and is against the anti-open grazing law of Benue.
“Much as the publication is riddled with lies and only gullible minds would accept such poorly constructed tale, it is important to set the records straight and dis-abuse the mind of the public from their litany of lies.
“In the said publication, the Benue Youth Forum has accused Senator George Akume of ‘mocking the people of Benue State openly for enacting the open grazing law and complaining about the killing of our people by Fulani militias.’
“The group also alleged that Benue people were killed by Jihadists in 2004 while Akume as Governor watched helplessly without any effort to protect his people who were left to their fate.
“According to the group, Sen. George Akume and his principal, President Buhari, are hell-bent on handing over our land to violent nomads.”
Dan-Morgan said the BYF, through its statement, had tacitly exposed its sponsors as well as itself as hired-guns by doing the unthinkable by commending Governor Samuel Ortom’s administration for standing firmly and tall in defence of his people.
BPF added that it remained unfortunate that the Benue Youth Forum contradicted itself where it commended the Federal security forces under the command of President Buhari for their efforts in securing Benue communities.
Continuing, the group said, “If the relative peace in Benue today made possible through President Buhari’s military interventions; “Exercise Ayem a Kpatuma” and “Operation Whirl Stroke,” in what way is the ignorant group accusing Sen. Akume and President Buhari of plans to hand over our land to violent nomads?
“During Akume’s time that Benue had an influx of refugees from neighbouring states, the then Governor did not only manage the security challenges during his administration but also took very good care of IDPs and made sure they were relocated back to their ancestoral homes. Why is the Ortom administration falling to do same?
“Are the killings in Sankera not done by Benue sons? Is it right to blame the Sankera killings on Gov. Ortom since the culprits are his Tiv tribesmen?
“What has been the stand of the Benue Youth Forum on the poor leadership style of the present Benue State Government, ranging from nonpayment of salaries and pensions to absence of infrastructural development?
” Governor Zulum of Borno State, the epicentre of security challenges in Nigeria, has just commissioned over 500 projects in just 2 years of his administration. Why is the case of Benue State different with the Governor laying his visibly poor performance on herdsmen attacks always?
“Why is the Benue State Government not relocating IDPs like Nassarawa State has done?
“What is the Benue State Government doing with security vote and why is the Benue State police command not equipped enough to protect our communities from invasion?
“Why has the Benue State Government disbanded the Vigilante at this critical time of security breaches without putting in place the Community Volunteer Guard that was announced as replacement?
“Between President Buhari and Governor Ortom, who has done more projects in Benue State for Benue people?
“What wrong has Sen. Akume done by calling for peaceful coexistence from between Benue people and other tribes?”
The BPF warned all divisively sponsored elements like the Benue Youth Forum to desist from trying to tarnish the hard-earned reputation of “the leader of North Central politics,” a highly detribalised Nigerian, like Sen. Dr George Akume.
It equally called on its sponsors to put the larger interest of the Benue people first rather than promote their own selfish interest, adding that, they should know that Benue citizens also live, work and do businesses in other states, hence, the need to promote harmony and desist from acts that would endanger its citizens living in other places.
