Crisis on Thursday, hit Abinsi, in Guma Local government area of Benue State leading to the burning of houses and destruction of properties belonging to innocent citizens.
Benue state Governor, Samuel Ortom has, however directed the traditional ruler and security agents to quickly fish out those behind the breach of peace in the area.
Ortom, who visited the scene of the crisis on Friday, warned the traditional ruler against shielding the culprits and threatened that if he was discovered to be shielding the culprits, he would be dethroned.
The Governor lamented that the crisis was coming barely few days after he met with his Taraba state countetpart, Ishaku Darius as well as the Jukun and Tiv traditional and religious leaders and signed a peace agreement to put a permanent end to clashes between the Jukuns and Tivs.
Gov. Ortom while describing the incident as unfortunate, warned that such ugly situation should not repeat itself in the community again.
He emphasized the compelling need for peaceful co-existence between all tribes in Benue, cautioning that “no tribe should claim ownership of any place in any community under his watch.”
“You are free to live anywhere irrespective of your tribe. In Benue State, everybody who wants to live here must obey the laws of the land and you are protected under my leadership, whether you are Tiv, Jukun, Fulani, Igbo, any tribe at all”.
Ortom said he will set up a panel to investigate the root cause of the crisis with the aim of bringing the perpetrators to book.
The traditional head of Abinsi, Chief Christopher Bake told Gov. Ortom that the crisis broke out after two motorcyclist youths believed to be of Tiv and Jukun stuff had a fight at about 4pm.
He said before the news got to him, the crisis had escalated to burning of houses and destruction of properties as other youths capitalized on their fight to cause mayhem
“It is unfortunate because for a long time, we have never had this kind of crisis. Abinsi is a place where when you have a problem, you come to Abinsi for solution but today, things have changed. It is very unfortunate.”
He pledged to cooperate with the security agents to fish out the culprits so as to ensure the return of peace to the community.
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Commissioner of Police in Benue State, CP Omololu Bishi said his men were able to curtail the crisis on arrival.
The Next Edition correspondent observed that over 30 houses were torched including modern and thatched houses but the police commissioner however confirmed that only six houses were burnt during the crisis.
He pledged to carryout thorough investigation to ensure that the culprits are apprehended.
Abinsi, a fishing settlement lying along the Makurdi/Gboko road by the banks of River Benue is co-habited by both the Jukun tribe of Taraba and the Tivs in Benue among other tribes.
