Benue State Government has called on warring communities in the state to sheath their swords expressing the fears that continued communal clashes coupled with attacks in different parts of the state will further threaten food production and lead to food insecurity in the country.
The Governor stated this during a stakeholders meeting convened in Makurdi on Tuesday, to bring lasting and sustainable peace between the Bonta and Ukpute communities of Konshisha and Oju Local Government Areas of the state.
Speaking during the meeting, Governor Ortom pointed out that the state is already struggling with attacks and siege of about 18 local government areas of the state by herdsmen and cannot afford to allow its communities to be at loggerheads with themselves.
He said the situation will not only cripple agricultural and other economic activities in the state but will also lead to food insecurity in the country as a whole.
He named the communal clashes in Agatu over a fish pond and other clashes in Kwande, Makurdi, Vandeikya among other places saying there was urgent need to nip them in the bud and pave way for peaceful coexistence.
Recall that the Bonta and Ukpute communities living at the border areas of Konshisha and Oju Local Government Areas of the state have been at war with each other over land, a crisis which has led to attacks and counter attacks on each other, claiming the lives of many, including that of 11 soldiers and a Colonel.
The meeting, which was attended by members of the Benue State Security Council, Chaired by Governor Samuel Ortom was also attended by Senators Gabriel Suswam, Abba Moro and Barnabas Gemade, condemned totally, criminality among youths of both communities and ordered immediate cessation of hostilities between in the two communities to pave way for the peaceful demarcation of their borders.
The meeting, in a communiqué signed by the Governor, chairmen from the two LGAs among others, directed that erring members of the communities should be drastically sanctioned.
While the meeting called for constant hosting of stakeholders meetings involving the two communities, it also resolved to urgently demarcate the borders between Bonta and Ukpute communities.
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The meeting called on Chairmen and deputy of both Local Governments to fix in a date for sensitisation of the two communities before the actual demarcation while the access road from Konshisha to Oju should be opened and remain accessible and safe to all and sundry with regular Security patrol.
The two Local Government Areas were also mandated to provide enabling environment for the establishment of a Police post within the area to serve both Bonta and Ukpute communities.
The communiqué also read in part, “That the Traditional Rulers should sit up and take full charge of their domains while the youths should collaborate with the Traditional Rulers and Security Agencies to fish out the criminal elements amongst them to pave way for sustainable peace in the area.”
The meeting also urged faith-based organisations to encourage the communities on the need for peaceful coexistence.
