The renewed Fulani herdsmen attack across Benue State, has killed no fewer than 500 people and displaced 300,000.
This is the claim of a group known as the Vanguard Against Tiv Massacre, VATIM.
In a statement sent to DAILY POST, on Friday, VATIM alleged a conspiracy of silence against Benue State.
The statement reads, “The recent crisis has so far resulted in over 500 reported cases of deaths in several communities in Buruku, Kwande, Agatu, Gwer East, Gwer West, Guma and Gboko, the worst hit been Buruku and Kwande local government areas with over 30,000 persons displaced and properties and livelihoods worth billions of Naira destroyed.
“These attacks have been incessant, predictable and preventable. In the last two weeks the following villages have been attacked by herdsmen: Mkovur, Ortese in Gboko just as Jingir, Agwabi, Gbanyam, and Tyogbenda are as well as Gbodi, Nzaav, Mbaav and Anyiase in Gboko, Buruku and Kwande local government areas respectively.
“In all cases, however, security agencies have been lackadaisical, and slow to respond. Despite the conspicuous nature of these attacks, not one person has been apprehended by the security agencies.
“In the last 5 years, no single person has been investigated or prosecuted for the attacks and killings carried out by the herdsmen in affected communities even where some persons have come forward claiming prior knowledge and presumed responsibility for such attacks (for example, the head of herdsmen in the Agatu community in March 2016).”
The group noted that the inaction by the government with regards to the attempted genocide on the Tiv, Idoma and other ethnic groups living in Benue State, directly contravenes the primary responsibility of the Government which is to protect lives and properties of its citizens as enshrined in Section 14 of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria.
VATIM called for urgent humanitarian relief and action, immediate enactment and implementation of appropriate legislation, urgent investigation and prosecution of parties behind the “suspected genocide”.
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