By Ayo Kehinde
Gov Ortom of Benue State
The Association of Middle Belt Ethnic Nationalities, AMBEN, has condoled with Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State and the Tor Tiv over the recent killings of citizens of the state by herdsmen.
While expressing its sympathy, the group called on the security agencies to be more proactive in exercise of their duties to check and stop a recurrence and demanded for the restructuring of the country as a permanent solution.
In a statement signed by its Chairman Barrister Sule Kwasau and Secretary, Rev James Pam, the group said: “It was with great shock and consternation that we received the news and saw the pictures of
the gory killings of Benue State citizens by Fulani militia in cold blood.
“As you intern the 73 victims today in a mass burial we sympathise with Governor Ortom, the Tor Tiv and the entire people of Benue State and pray that the Good Lord will comfort you and protect you from such acts in the future.
“We seize this opportunity to urge the Federal Government to live up to its responsibility ofprotecting life and property. Government has demonstrated bias in its attitude towards the Fulani militia that has been terrorising Middle Belt, South-West, South-South and South- East States. Without adequate protection from government, our communities will have no option but to arm themselves for self defence as warned by the leaders of Benue state during the mass burial.
“ We also demand that the Federal Government officially declares Fulani militia terrorists. “The idea of creating grazing colonies on our farm lands as a solution is obnoxious and objectionable to us. It’s a subtle attempt by one tribe to take over our God-given ancestral land and eventually take over the whole country.
“We totally reject the idea and vouch not to cede any land for such a project. “We are of the firm belief that the only plausible and permanent solution to these unwarranted murderous attacks is the restructuring of Nigeria as recommended by the 2014 National Conference:
(1) That we institute true federalism by creating 18 more States and granting States full autonomy, each with its Constitution and Police Force.
(2) That we devolve a lot of the enormous powers vested in the Federal Government to the new autonomous States so that the Federal Government retains responsibility only for such things as the Military and territorial integrity, Currency and banking, Foreign affairs, Customs and Excise, Telecommunications, Ports, Federal taxes and Immigration. All residual matters should reside with States.
3) That we restructure fiscally so that States retain revenues derived from resources within their boundaries while they remit 30 per cent of it as royalties to central Federal Government. “We endorse the decision reached by the cultural and political leaders of the South-West, South-South, South-East and Middle Belt during the recent “Handshake Across The Niger” festival that there would be no general elections in 2019 if Nigeria is not restructured along the lines of the recommendations itemised above as a solution to many of our problems..
