Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue state, Monday afternoon escaped death by the whiskers when his convoy was ambushed by suspected Fulani mercenaries who engaged his security aides in exchange of gunfire at Tee-Akanyi village in Guma local government area of the state.
This was just after the rampaging invaders had sacked about 64 village on the Daudu-Gbajimba axis of the council, killing no fewer than 37 persons.
Governor Suswam had alongside journalists, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Terhile Ayua, the Benue state Commissioner of Police, Adams Audu and his team, soldiers, and other security personnel embarked on an assessment tour of communities that were recently invaded by the herders on Daudu-Gbajimba road.
On getting to Uikpam-Mbabai, the Governor and his team discovered that the marauders had attacked and pulled out of the community that very morning, after razing down houses, barns and beheading over thirty persons whose remains laid lifeless in several houses and huts.
The Governor and his team were however taken aback when the military personnel on the tour decided to pulled out of the tour on the ground that they were not detailed to travel with the team to Gbajimba.
The decision of the soldiers did not however deter the Governor who insisted on making the trip to Gbajimba without the military personnel.
It was while the Governor’s convoy was heading to Umenger village, a distance of about 20km from Daudu that the team discovered that the herders had completely taken over all the villages on that axis, grazing and looting the property of the locals who had deserted their homes.
The convoy however ran into a fresh attack at Tse-Akenyi village where fire was still raging in several houses in the entire community, while the attackers continued with the looting of the property of their victims.
However, the entourage did not realize that the marauders had taken cover in some of the abandoned houses and while Governor Suswam alighted from his car and was busy inspecting the level of destruction in the community, heavy gunfire started raving from nearby bushes.
The gunfire sparked a duel between the security personnel on the Governors entourage and the invaders who took cover in nearby bushes.
The exchange of gunfire lasted close to one hour, the Governor Suswam was however safely smuggled into his official vehicle by his security details when the shooting subsided and he was driven to Gbajimba, the local government headquarters, where he addressed some of the fleeing locals and displaced persons.
Speaking to the aggrieved people, Suswam lamented the spate of attacks on the people of the state by Fulani herdsmen, he assured the displaced persons that the government would not abandon them in the time of grief.
Meantime, on his way back from the assessment tour, Governor Gabriel Suswam picked and conveyed the remains of some the headed victims to the mortuary in Makurdi. the state capital. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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if d people of benue state will allow idots to distroy dem its all dere wish cos benue ppl dont hav a portn of land for fulani.
ReplyDeleteNice one...e goodo wel-well. Now they are right in the eye of the storm, they'l know what the ordinary people feel. Useless politicians. Mtcheewwwwwwww!!!
ReplyDeleteI know our politicians are nothing to write about but in this instance this man was on a good mission so its unfair to sayits good for him. He could not have gone there and still be the Gov even as it is his responsibility.
DeleteA time will come a Fulani man will long for this State but will not dare step in. This is our Cannan, they can't displace Tiv Nation. The God we serve will not allow that to happen. GEJ you have every opportunity to address this issue now. By the time your army and fulani will be dying on a daily basis dont complain. Tiv Nation will not allow this to continue, we will fight until our last drop of blood. The ball is in ur court for now. Go down memory lane Mr President, it is too early to forget.
ReplyDeleteUr army withdrew 4rm our Governor's convoy who happen to be your loyal Gov. bcos they weren't given order to follow him. Bt in KWANDE they killed TIV people, and burnt Okadas' motorcyles. Who gave them order there? It is only for peace to reign, an army man is a comlpete woman at least in Tiv land, warn them to steer clear of this crisis. A word is enough for a wise man.
ReplyDeleteAs for me, I think we have a lot to think in this country! Devil is claiming a lot of souls, in fact lately I wonder how many pple lives were cut short daily in this country? Well nobody is counting, no statistics something has to be done going by this rate I doubt if the country will remains the most populous black nation by 2030. The rate people are been killed or murdered is just too much haba! What's is going on?I think its high time this country divided maybe things can be well monitored by each parties if the country breaks into smaller parts.
ReplyDeleteAs for me, I think we have a lot to think in this country! Devil is claiming a lot of souls, in fact lately I wonder how many pple lives were cut short daily in this country? Well nobody is counting, no statistics something has to be done going by this rate I doubt if the country will remains the most populous black nation by 2030. The rate people are been killed or murdered is just too much haba! What's is going on?I think its high time this country divided maybe things can be well monitored by each parties if the country breaks into smaller parts.
ReplyDeleteThe is madness,in Adamawa,Borno and yobe it‘s “BOKO HARAM“ in River and Bayelsa “NIGER DELTA MILITANTS“ Edo,Delta and Akwa Ibom “RAPE and KIDNAP“ Plateau “UNKNOWN GUNMEN“ and now in Benue it‘s the “FULANI MECINARIES“. How can the army withdraw from the governor‘s convoy for no good reason, hmmm,something is really going on in this country. This is rather a “BADLUCK not a GOODLUCK“ to this great contry.
ReplyDeleteMay the dead rest in peace.The tivs seemed to have bitten more than they can chew. When they were killing Fulani children and rustling their cow the latter has no mouthpiece to be heard. Up till now we have not seen any concrete evidence to prove that the spate of killings in tiv land is not a matter of dog eating dog. "Suspected Fulani herdsmen" they say.
ReplyDeleteu ppl should try nd confirm wat make d fulani herds men do dat 2 dem,it most hv a reason 4 dat,may b thy killed thier cow, bcos is beta 4 u 2 kil a fulani person than 2 kill his animals he wl nt leav u.
ReplyDeleteThis only shows how dumb u are. So the tiv will just sit and kill fulani's cattle? When someone takes his animals to ur farmland and uses it as a grazin area....what do u know abt that.
DeleteAnd this is the Governor who has been trying all he can to make this situation peaceful. He even compensated the fulanis when they claimed their cattle were slaughtered so they would let this people be but no. As for the army, this only goes to show that complaints about them aiding the fulanis attack tiv villagers is true. Where they detailed to oass through all those places they stopped on the way? Cos i know the Gov passed through many villages out of earlier schedule. Why must it be meters away from where the attack was to hold that they withdrew?
ReplyDeleteThe thing is this fulanis are not even neighbours with Benue. Haba. How can a human beign invade one's farm wiyh cattle to feed on crops and when you say no then u become a refugee in your own state? Beleive me this story has not started, cos when it does......there might just be no story to tell.
ReplyDeleteIf this country is too big to control and secure then why cant we for once look at dividing it?
ReplyDeleteAs for d gov, thank God he escaped wit no injury. To those in support of the fulani and that of the tiv ppl in carrying out revenge or rephrisal attacts shame on you. You ppl are doing more to fuel this crisis with no regards to the victims. I hope this situation will be solved.
ReplyDeleteDis soldiers hv many questions to answer. Hw can they abondon a Governor whn it matters a lot. Are they afraid of the fulani's or they are working with them? I pity for dis country. No security, everybody is on his or her own.
ReplyDeleteThe President must speak NOW! One good turn deserves another, Gov Suswan is been intimidated, hated now because of you! Gov Suswan pulled out of northern governor's forum where he was told he will regret it because of you,.........!!!
ReplyDeleteI can see that the fulanis are on a mission backed by their feudal leaders. However, the forces of light will surely prevail
ReplyDeleteDeliver good governance to the people. That is their right not negociable.
ReplyDelete