The attention of Nasarawa State Government has been drawn to an online publication in the April 7th, 2014 edition of ScanNews Nigeria boldly captioned ‘Benue Government accuses Governor Almakura of accommodating and arming Fulani insurgents’. That report would have been ignored out rightly as the handwork of mischief makers but for the fact that the Commissioner for Information, Benue State, Hon. Justin Amase was credited to have made that weighty reckless statement. Considering the cordial relationship between the Governors of Nasarawa and Benue States who have been working round the clock to nip in the bud the persistent farmer/herdsmen crisis rocking their states, a response to such statement becomes imperative to calm frailed nerves and keep the tempo of crisis management by the two states on course. The Commissioner was credited to have accused the Governor of Nasarawa State of addressing a World Press Conference, a blatant lie, where he accused the military of killing ‘innocent civilians’. To put the records straight, Government Almakura undertook an assessment visit to Keana, venue of the unfortunate military misadventure and regretted the loss of innocent lives. The details of this visit was widely reported and his appeal to the security agencies and peace loving people were also adequately publicised. What beats our imagination was the deliberate distortion of facts by the report credited to the Benue Commissioner for information to the affect that the Governor was being ‘diversionary’ in his comments. It is a truism that incidences of farmers/herdsmen clashes predate the administrations of Suswan and Almakura who, both, inherited this crisis and both are working tirelessly for its abatement. These militants, both Suswan and Almakura, have consistently insisted, were not the normal Fulani herdsmen we see regularly armed with sticks. How only Almakura’s assessment of the two categories of Fulanis is singled out for condemnation is regrettable and smacks of an attempt to call a dog a bad name in order to hang him. We are constrained not to join issues much further in order to encourage the two Governors efforts at securing peace in their trouble communities. Suffice it to recall that Duguguru, Agbabo, Agbashi, Barikin Abdullahi, and other Benue border communities in Nasarawa State have suffered attacks by these same militia men. Almakura in all incidences had condemned their actions, called for more security vigilance, appealed for calm and assisted displaced persons with food and clothing. Similarly, communities in Guma, Gwer, Konshisha, Logo, Ukum, Katsina Ala, Agatu has suffered untold hardship from this rampaging militia. Most of these communities do not share borders with Nasarawa State but with Taraba, Enugu and Cross Rivers. Why then are fingers directed at Nasarawa State when they are also victims. Today, this Fulani militia have attacked communities in Katsina, Zamfara, Plateau, Kaduna among other States. Our hands must be united in fighting these insurgents rather than splitting hairs by accusing similar victims of condoning or sponsoring them without providing justification and overheating the polity in the process. Another unfortunate portion of the report is the fact that “insurgents” captured by security agents point accusing fingers at Nasarawa State Government as their sponsors. This is a serious allegation that security agencies should corroborate or deny for the sake of making the records straight and avoid a breakdown of relationships. We are not aware of any alliance between Tiv of Benue State and Mada of Nasarawa State that will threaten the electoral fortunes of Almakura. Governor Almakura will not be drawn into a vainglorious mission of trading his political fortune with the blood of the people he has sworn to serve. We are calling on all peace-loving people of Benue and Nasarawa states to remain law abiding and assist in the ongoing peace efforts of the two states and the Federal Government. Hon Abdulhammid Y.Kwarra Senior Special Assistant(Public Affairs) to the Governor of Nasarawa State. Tuesday,8 April,2014
Posted on: Tue, 08 Apr 2014 21:44:43 +0000
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