Government urged to end Benue killings

A group, the Benue Valley Professional Network has urged the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to put an end to the incessant killings in Benue State and other Middle Belt region.

The group accused terrorists of being responsible for the heinous act, which they claimed is responsible for the present deplorable state in Benue and other states in the region.In a statement issued after its Colloquium on ‘Peace, Progress and Development in the Benue Valley’ organised in Lagos over the weekend, the group said the terrorists who were hiding under the guise of herdsmen are responsible for the incessant killings, which had left hundreds dead in the areas.

The release signed by Vitalis Ortese and Ier Jonathan-Ichaver, called for “inclusive leadership to take into cognizance the contributions of professionals with a diversity of skills that can aid development.

The group also emphasised the need for a review of the current structure of the nation to include fiscal federalism, local government autonomy and a weaker central government.

It also expressed concern that the Federal Government was failing in its duty to protect the lives and property of its citizens in the Benue and the Middle Belt while it called for immediate solution to the challenges facing the zone.

The group also called for communities to redefine their identities as people of the Benue Valley and deepen the need for professionals to gain a stronger understanding on the historical origins and evolution of their indigenous backgrounds.It however restated its commitment to Nigeria.