The Chairman of Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, Mr. Ibellogo Tor-Ityokaa, has said at least 200 people in his domain were killed and property worth millions of naira destroyed allegedly by the Jukun militants following their repeated attacks on villages in the local government.
He disclosed this while addressing a news conference in Zaki-Biam.
He stated further that villages worst hit by the attacks include: Tse- Ayali, Igbongom and Tse -Atsenga as well as Vaase, Namtaav and New City.
The local government chairman accussed his Wukari Local Government Area counterpart of aiding and abetting the Jukun armed militia to launch mayhem on Tiv settlements.
He expressed worry that after peace efforts by his council and the Benue state government, the non-collaborative efforts by his Wukari counterpart was aggravating the situation.
He maintained that more villages were still being attacked by the Jukun militia and their herdsmen collaborators.
Ibellogo, who identified politics as the main reason for the crisis, said, from available intelligence report, the Tivs in Taraba were been attacked owing to their refusal to vote Jukun candidates during the last general elections.
“I think what is happening is well beyond an ordinary squabble as it is being reported. From intelligence, we have gathered that the Tivs especially those living in Wukari are killed over issues that had to do with politics.
“The Tiv people according to information available to me indicates are being hunted over their refusal to vote for Jukun candidates during the elections, and my counterpart from Wukari is actively involved in this acts of infamy”.
Ibellogo equally accused Fulani insurgents of cashing-in on the fragile development to invade the sacked Tiv villages with their cattle.
“The Fulanis had been looking for an opportunity to invade our communities with their cattle and the crisis has provided for them an ample opportunity to carry out such. As we speak, over 5000 persons had been displaced as a result of this crisis which had placed on us a heavy burden.”
The local government chairman, who appealed for calm, called on the federal government to come to the aid of the displaced persons, stressing that the situation had overstretched the resources of the council.
He applauded the efforts so far made by the state government in supporting the IDPs as well as security againcies whom he said had been of tremendous help in efforts towards ending the carnage.
