Fear, hope as army begins Cat Race in Benue
Sequel to the killing of over 73 people in Benue State and the displacement of at least 160, 000 others from their homes in rural communities of two local government areas by unknown gunmen during the New Year celebration, the Federal Government, on Tuesday, formally launched a special security exercise in the state.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Tukur Buratai, led other top government functionaries within and outside the state to flag off the exercise, coded Ayem A’kpatuma (cat race). Reprisal attacks were recorded; hence the need for the exercise.
Prior to the military exercise, the police had deployed human and material resources to tackle the situation. But a superior might became necessary as a total of 11 security operatives were ambushed and killed.
At the last count, more than 100 people lost their lives in the state and its neighbouring border communities of Nasarawa State.
However, the people of Benue became apprehensive over the exercise. Most of them argued that security operatives would likely manhandle innocent locals, adding that the gunmen would only retreat.
But during the launch of the exercise and its official commencement on Tuesday, February 20 at Mbambegha village, near Gbagjimgba in Guma Local Government Area, Lt General Buratai said the “Cat Race” would curb security challenges in Benue State.
“Ayem A’kpatuma is an exercise that would help to familiarise our troops with the challenge of internal security in Benue State. It is being jointly conducted with other services of the armed forces, as well as other security agencies.
“We want to assure you that we are not targeting any individual. It is an exercise that will help our officers and soldiers understand the basics required for internal security operations, which include ambushes, military patrol, and civilmilitary activities,” he said.
He said that during the exercise, they would undertake medical outreach and other programmes that would help them interact with the people.
“We are covering virtually the whole of Benue and neighbouring states. At the end, those who were displaced would be able to go back to their respective homes,’’ Buratai added.
In his response, Governor Samuel Ortom thanked the Federal Government for approving the exercise. He expressed hope that normalcy would soon return to the state. He, however, expressed worry over Buratai’s declaration that Ayem A’kpatuma was not a military operation against criminals masquerading as herdsmen.
“I don’t know the difference between exercise and operation. It’s a military terminology, so I don’t want to delve into that. We look forward to a successful operation. We now have over 160, 000 internally displaced people) and it is quite challenging to take care of them,’’ Ortom said.
Our correspondent, however, observed that many locals were returning back to their homes where there were soldiers, while others stayed away because of aerial display by the military.
Several checkpoints were also mounted at short distances along the 20km dusty road between the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, and Gbajimgba, the headquarters of Guma Local Government Area, where the soldiers are camped.
A local told Daily Trust on Sunday that though she was happy to return to her village along the university road, she feared that the military exercise would affect young men in the community. According to her, few days before the formal launch of the exercise, a youth in her vicinity was picked up by the soldiers, basically on the suspicion that he was a ‘bad boy’ because of the ‘low-waist’ trousers he wore.
Meanwhile, 48 hours after the exercise formally commenced, a socio-cultural umbrella body of the Tiv, Mdzough u Tiv, faulted the message contained in the Cat Race pamphlet written in Tiv language, which was circulated among the locals.
President-General of the group, Edward Ujege, an engineer, said in Makurdi that the flyers circulated by the Nigerian Army defined the real intention of the military in Benue State. He alleged that the military had come to provide cover for armed Fulani herdsmen to take over their father’s land. Ujege said that from the message on the flyers, the military acknowledged that Fulani herdsmen were responsible for the massacre and massive destruction of properties in Benue.
“For the military to be relevant in the state, they must assist in chasing away the invaders and restoring peace. This can only be possible through the enforcement of the anti-open grazing law. The publication of the flyers in Tiv language gives the impression that the Tiv are the target of the exercise,’’ Ujege said.
Reacting, the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations of 707 Special Forces Brigade in Makurdi, Major Olabisi Ayeni, noted that the Nigerian Army is a Federal Government agency saddled with the responsibility of protecting the lives and property of Nigerians, as well as the territorial integrity of the country.
“All the army needs to do here is to ensure that no Benue resident is killed or displaced. That is all we are doing. We want to ensure peaceful coexistence among herders and farmers. We are not saying the Fulani herdsmen should not obey the anti-open grazing law enacted by the Benue State Government.
“Exercise Ayem A’kpatuma is not in support of any group. Our role is to make sure that Benue State is peaceful. And one of the ways we are going about it is for the herders to know that a Tiv man, an Idoma or Igede man is a Nigerian,’’ Ayeni said.
He further said the soldiers had arrested some Fulani herdsmen who wanted to attack Governor Ortom’s farm in Guma.
“The violent herdsmen, who also fought back, tried to withdraw. The special forces intensified their pursuit and succeeded in arresting two of them while others fled. They have since been handed over to the police.
“We are using a psychological method to achieve a peaceful environment in Benue State, especially in Guma and Logo local government areas and Katsina-Ala. If you see anyone who wants to kill you, report and we will get that person arrested,’’ he said.
Also reacting to the Cat Race exercise, the Benue Youth Forum asked the Army to justify the confidence of Nigerians.
President of the Forum, Terrance Kuanum, said in Makurdi that the military should demonstrate the same commitment in the Cat Race exercise as they did in Operation Python Dance, Operation Crocodile Smile and others in different regions of the country.
“Such commitment can only be seen to be at work when killers of Benue people are given the same dose of their medicine,’’ he said.
Kuanum also said the people of Benue expected the coming of the military to increase compliance in the open grazing prohibition and the establishment of ranches in the state. He wondered why Ayem A’kpatuma is a military exercise, not an operation.
Meanwhile, another group, Good Friends of Ortom (GOFOR), has expressed support for the measures already taken to end killings in Benue rural communities.
In a statement signed by the chairman of the group, Tyozenda Maria, an architect, and the secretary-general, Alexander Orgbo, which was made available to our correspondent in Makurdi, they said Governor Ortom was capable of providing good governance in the state. They stressed that it was necessary to end the killings of innocent people.
The group also urged the Federal Government to pay compensation to victims of the killings in line with the United Nations’ charter. They further appealed to prominent citizens of the state to shun political differences for peace to return to the state.
The group threw its weight behind the anti-open grazing law in the state, saying it is the best approach towards actualising peace between farmers and herdsmen.