Reps urge Buhari to order disarmament of killer herdsmen

• Ortom directs evacuation from Benue
• Stop unlawful killing of herders, Kaduna warns citizens

The House of Representatives yesterday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to set up a task force to ensure the immediate disarmament of armed herdsmen in the country.

Adopting the motion sponsored by Benue State members of the House led by Mr. Orker-Jev Emmanuel, the lawmakers at plenary asked the Federal Government to investigate the activities of armed herdsmen terrorising the citizens in Buruku and other parts of Benue State.

They urged the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to probe the alleged wanton killings and destruction of property in Binev council, arrest the perpetrators and restore security in those areas.

The lawmakers also urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to send food and other relief materials to the affected communities.

Meanwhile, in his reaction to the killing of about 20 persons in Buruku and Ipav in Gboko local council of Benue State by suspected herdsmen at the weekend, Governor Samuel Ortom has directed security agents to begin their evacuation from the state.

About six persons were feared killed in Ipav district of Gboko local council on Monday while another 10 lost their lives last weekend at Buruku council.

While protesting the killings, aggrieved residents of Ipav moved the bodies of the victims to Gboko-Katsina-Ala highway on Monday, blocking the road for several hours, thereby obstructing traffic.

Ortom, while addressing Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Buruku said the decision to order security agencies to evacuate herdsmen from the area is to ensue peace, adding that the people do not want them in their communities anymore.

He said there is no available land for grazing in the state. “If there is anywhere land is available, we will gladly lead them there. For now, we are begging them to leave because we are peaceful people. We do not deserve to be killed this way. There is a limit I can hold my people,” he stated.

In a related development, Katsina State government has warned against unlawful killing of Fulani herdsmen suspected to be cattle rustlers. Speaking yesterday on the issue, the Secretary to the Government of the State (SGS), Mustapha Inuwa regretted reports of indiscriminate killing of herdsmen when they enter the town.

Inuwa said government had been able to persuade rustlers to lay down their arms and embrace peace in the state. He warned that lawless killing of herdsmen over mere suspicion that they were rustlers could threaten the existing peace.

“There are cases of Fulani herdsmen being killed or maimed because of rustling. This should not be, as such acts could jeopardise efforts to make cattle rustlers lay down their arms,” he added.