Paramount Ruler of Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State, Chief Daniel Abomtse, on Tuesday lamented that Fulani herdsmen have allegedly sacked the Tor Tiv, Dr Alfred Torkula, from his palace.
Chief Abomtse made the allegation in Makurdi when he was paid a courtesy visit by the newly elected leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Benue State Council.
The traditional ruler of the Tiv nation hails from Guma LGA, one of the councils in the state worst hit by suspected Fulani herdsmen, where his family compound was razed last year.
According to Abomtse, “As I speak with you, Fulani insurgents have taken over the village of Tor Tiv. His Royal Majesty, Dr Alfred Akawe Torkula, can no longer attend burial and other functions in his community. They walk freely with guns and all I know is that the invasion is a conspiracy against Tiv people and Benue communities.
“These insurgents, who disguise as herders, confiscate everything belonging to our people; and if nothing urgently is done, it therefore means that Benue State, and by implication, Nigeria, is sitting on a keg of gun powder due to our strategic location”.
Regretting that nine districts in his domain are currently occupied by the herdsmen, whom he noted were not “ordinary” nomads, the paramount ruler claimed, “these are trained snipers; they go around with sophisticated weapons and what we notice is that they are not the ordinary nomads we know.
“We are also of the opinion that the Governor of Nasarawa State, Tanko Al-Makura, be made to answer questions as the Chief Security Officer of the state from where these gunmen come into Benue,” he declared.
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