Benue attacks: Hausa community lauds Ortom over visit
The Sarkin Hausawa of Makurdi, Alhaji Bello Sallau Abdurrahman has commended Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom for visiting and sympathising with the Hausa community over the recent attack on the community.
Alhaji Abdurrahman who made the commendation in a telephone chat with Daily Trust yesterday, appealed to the governor to take strict measure to prevent reoccurrence of the attack.
“We want to use this opportunity to thank the governor for sympathising with us and condemning the attacks. We want to appeal to the governor to fulfil his promise of taking measures to ensure the safety of lives and property of Hausa people,” the leader of the Hausa community said.
He also called on Ortom to compensate the families of those that lost their lives, traders that lost their properties and also rebuild shops and two mosques that were burnt during the crisis.
According to Abdurrahaman, Hausa people were part of Benue State for many years, saying they were living peacefully with their host community until recently when some ‘bad elements’ took advantage of what had happened in the state to cause crises.
He called on government not to allow disgruntled individuals to scuttle the long standing peaceful co-existence between Hausa community and other tribes in the state.
Abdurrahaman said 8 people were killed; 11 were missing and over 20 sustained injuries, while several shops were razed following a reprisal attack by suspected Tiv youths on Hausa community in Makurdi.
He wondered why Hausa people were targeted since they are not the herdsmen that allegedly attacked people in some parts of the state.