Suswam warns of tribal war, urges urgent FG action on clashes
Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State yesterday urged the federal government to urgently act to stop the frequent clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers in the state before the situation gets out of control, saying the situation has deteriorated to an unacceptable level, even as he lamented the shortage of security personnel to effectively combat the increasing challenges.
The governor while addressing newsmen at the Government House, Makurdi yesterday decried Tuesday’s killing and destruction of the Tor-Tiv’s family residence in Guma LGA, saying: “I need more security presence in the state. The security men here now are not able to contain the present situation as the problems are happening simultaneously. The federal government needs to do something urgently to address the situation. I have done everything possible as a human being, so it is the prerogative of the federal government to stem the tide before it moves to a level where we will begin to defend ourselves”. He emphasised that a large number of suspected Fulani militias were attacking his people.
He said over 700 armed militias carried out the latest attack on the rural Guma vicinity despite the limited effort of the state’s special security outfit, the Operation Zenda, which tried unsuccessfully to prevent them from burning the traditional ruler’s home.
“Over 700 suspected Fulani attacked and destroyed the Tor-Tiv’s house. We moved in the Operation Zenda but the militias overpowered them and destroyed the house. The security in the state is gradually deteriorating such that as much as we try, the problem keeps getting prominent,” Suswam added. He appealed to the federal government to end the ugly trend so that it does not snowball into a tribal war, especially as emotions have risen and tension is mounting in the state. He further decried the increasing number of people displaced from their homes since the past two years or more, just as he expressed concern about the frightening number of children that have gone out of school as a result of the crisis and the looming food scarcity.