By Terna Chikpa, Jalingo
The senator representing Benue North west senatorial district, Dr Titus Zam, has decried what he described as leadership failure by both the Benue State and Federal Government, following the Friday night killing of over 100 people in Guma LGA of the state.
Our correspondent reports that over 100 people were feared killed on Friday night by alleged Fulani militia in Yelewata, Guma LGA of Benue State.
Meanwhile, Senator Zam while reacting to the incident, described it as a failure of leadership on the part of both the Benue state governor Hyacinth Alia, and President Bola Tinubu.
He called on the Benue State Government to immediately enforce the open grazing prohibition law, activate and properly fund the community-based security outfits to compliment the efforts of the conventional security forces.
“The right to live in safety is not negotiable. I therefore call on Governor Hyacinth Alia and President Bola Tinubu to rise to their constitutional responsibilities. The killings Must stop.
“The genocide perpetrated by the Fulanis on my constituents is a clear indication of leadership failure on the part of both Benue state and the federal government. I call on the Benue state Government to immediately enforce the open grazing prohibition law, activate and properly fund the community-based security outfits to compliment the efforts of the conventional security forces”. Sen. Zam decried.
The senator while calling for investigation into the killings, he also called on president Bola Tinubu to as a matter of urgency, support Benue state Government militarily to flush out the killer Fulanis.
Zam alleged that the citizens trust in the clueless leadership of Benue state has faded drastically under the prevailing circumstances, and turning to the president has become not only inevitable but the last resort.
“We will welcome any measure to secure our lives and livelihoods. this is not the Benue state of our dreams. The trust in the clueless leadership of Benue state has faded drastically under the prevailing circumstances, and turning to Mr president has become not only inevitable but the last resort.
“This situation must be investigated and appropriate actions be taken to forestall it’s reoccurrence. My people do not deserve this! This is Shameful, and it’s speaks loudly about the quality of leadership in our immediate state of Benue and Nigeria at large”. Zam lamented further.
The Benue North-West representative while commiserating with the entire people of the constituency, Guma local government and the immediate families, the senator condemned the heartless killings, called on governor Alia to settle down and create appropriate mechanism to protect every inch of the state.
“In the 21st century under a democracy, women, children and the elderly were shot and slaughtered like chicken in their own houses by the blood thirsty and trigger happy Fulani militia, under circumstances that can not be justified by any stretch of human imaginations. This is unacceptable and condemnable.
“Even during the civil war, no singular attack recorded such a large number of casualties. The incident in Yelewata could be correctly characterised as a pogrom. I call on governor Hyacinth Alia to settle down and create appropriate mechanism to protect every inch of the state,” the senator stated.
