Herders Attack: 36 Corpses Recovered, Others Missing in Gbeji

…Ortom, Suswam, Uba, others Visit Community, berate FG

By Ushahemba Nongu

Delta Speaker visits Edo Governor, says defection to APC for Deltans’ interest

22 Delta PDP lawmakers defect to APC

Wike Condemns Sponsored Walkout On First Lady, Says “It is disturbing, embarrassing”

Thirty-six dead bodies have so far been recovered while many others are still missing following the dastardly attack by armed Fulani herdsmen in the early hours of Wednesday, October 19, 2022 in Gbeji community of Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.

Following the massacre, Governor Samuel Ortom, Senator representing Benue North-East Senatorial district, Dr Gabriel Suswam, Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly and PDP guber candidate, Engr Titus Uba, House of Representatives Member for Ukum/Logo/Katsina-Ala Federal Constituency, Dr Richard Gbande among others, on Friday, October 21 visited the community.

Addressing families of the victims and other survivors during the visit, Governor Ortom who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Anthony Ijohor, SAN, expressed sadness over the unfortunate incident.

Herders Attack: 36 Corpses Recovered, Others Missing in GbejiProtocolI am highly delighted to address this esteemed gathering on this auspicious occasion of the inauguration ceremony of the Benue State Geographic Information Service Centre, here in the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Solid Minerals, Makurdi.2. The inauguration of this edifice, a component of the Benue Geographic Information Service, BENGIS Digitization Project marks a milestone in the history of my Administration, and could not have come at a better time given the increasing role of Land Assets in the socio-economic development of our people. With the regular Reports I am receiving since the introduction of Geographic Information System in Land Management, the numerous challenges that were associated with Land Administration in the State have been reduced to the barest minimum. Infact, since the commencement of the BENGIS Project, the Land Digitization initiative has greatly improved Urban Planning, infrastructure development, environmental management and encourage private investment.3. With the commissioning of this historic Project today, we have achieved the International Best Practice in Land Administration in the State. I am optimistic that this Project will attract the World Bank’s Grant of USD$2.5Million through SFTAS Programme to be applied for developmental Projects in the State.4. The Land use Act Cap L5, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2007 vests all land in the territory of a State on the Governor of the State to be held in trust and administered for the use and common benefit of all Nigerians in accordance with the provisions of the Act. Therefore, the powers given to the Governor in connection with this trust and administration include; control and management of all land in the Urban areas, designation of Urban areas, granting of Statutory Rights of Occupancy, granting of easements, demanding and revision of rents, power to enter and inspect, power to give consent for mortgage and other transactions, power to revoke Rights of Occupancy, and power to delegate.5. The above functions of the Governor as it relates to Land Administration in the State cannot be realised without the availability of Geospatial information. It is against this backdrop that the State Government in February, 2020 awarded the contract for the creation of a modern Benue State Geographic Information Service (BENGIS) to GIS Transport Ltd. The choice of this International firm for the project was informed by its track record of excellent performance both in Nigeria and other countries of the world in this highly technical sector. Today, I am impressed that the decision of my Administration to invest in this project is already yielding positive results with renewed interest of our people in land matters as well as accelerated processing of Certificates of Occupancy (C of O), a process that can now be accomplished within few weeks.6. As the Honourable Commissioner of Lands explained in his speech, BENGIS will operate throughout the entire State with a Service Centre in Makurdi, the State capital, and additional Service points in Gboko, Otukpo and Adikpo. The Makurdi Service Centre being inaugurated today is built and equipped to specification in line with international and professional standards, and would be on a 24 hour power supply, including an ICT platform integrated through a network system with high speed Internet access.7. The Terms of this Contract with GIS Transport Ltd requires the firm to design, build, operate and transfer management of the Project to the State Government at the end of the agreed period. One aspect of this Project that impresses me more is the fact that Staff of this Ministry have been adequately trained on the use of the modern GIS/ICT driven Land Administration. Globally there is a growing concern for spatial information for sustainable resource inventory, planning, development and distribution. Spatial data is relevant to visualize current situations, predict impacts and enhance service delivery. No doubt therefore that geospatial data is needed to facilitate the achievement of any Sustainable Development Programme, hence to enhance good governance in this modern era, modern facilities such as the BENGIS needs to be provided for improved and informed decision making as well as policy formulation.8. With this development, Benue State should be proud that we have collectively as a people and Government accomplished this feat which will serve generations to come and also help create direct and indirect jobs associated with the sector. In the area of data and information to guide Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, BENGIS will provide the needed geospatial information to support relevant MDAs, organisations and professional bodies to optimize their performance in the areas of revenue drive and access to timely and precise information to assist in policy formulation as well as effecting changes to existing policies in the light of emerging new realities.9. As we converge here today to witness the inauguration of BENGIS Service Centre, I call on the good people of Benue State to embrace and key into this project which does not belong to the State Government alone but is a project designed to positively impact on public interest. On this note, I hereby declare that, all properties both residential and commercial in Makurdi, Gboko and Otukpo should be certificated within six (6) months or face certain penalties.10. I also urge stakeholders in the Lands, Survey and Solid Minerals sectors to also support this project in order to add value to the industry. I thank everyone who has supported and encouraged us in diverse ways from the inception of this project as I always believe in participatory governance where the inputs and ideas of the people are taken into account in policy formulation and implementation of Government policies.11. Most importantly, I will like to strongly urge the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Solid Minerals to maintain the facilities and also ensure that the building itself and installed equipment are given round the clock protection. I am happy that the Hon. Commissioner has told us that his office has worked out modalities for the maintenance of this facilities. Let me also emphasize that this Government will not hesitate to take punitive steps against any staff found to compromise any of our equipment here bearing in mind that the State Government has invested huge resources in order to complete this project.12. I want to charge relevant Government Staff that would be involved in this venture through training, operation of facilities and maintenance to be diligent, focused and take full advantage of the BENGIS facilities to further upgrade their skills which would impact on the quality of their service delivery to the public whose interest we are expected to serve as well as promote more efficiency on the part of the Government.13. Thank you all and God bless. — Herdsmen

He reiterated the stand of the Benue State Government that since the Federal Government has failed to provide security for the people, a license should be approved for the State Government to procure sophisticated weapons for the Community Volunteer Guards to protect the people.

The Governor insisted that the limited conventional security agencies were overstretched and were unable to provide adequate protection for people of the state.

“We are standing on our request for the Federal Government to give us a license for our Volunteer Guards to bear AK-47 and other sophisticated weapons. The security agencies have been overstretched, that being the case, our people have to defend themselves,” he said.

Governor Ortom urged young people to stand firm and protect their lands, stating that self help is the only option left, since the present administration at the centre has shown that it is incapable of providing security for the people.

He sympathized with those who lost loved ones in the attack on Gbeji and encouraged them not to lose hope no matter the circumstances, saying the State Government would provide palliatives to offer succour to the affected persons.

Senator Suswam in his remarks, berated the Federal Government for what he described as its irresponsibility and failure to provide security for citizens.

According to him, “the Federal Government has failed woefully in the protection of lives and property”, lamenting that rising insecurity has exposed the country’s nakedness.

“So far 36 bodies have been recovered from this dastardly attack by herdsmen. This is totally unacceptable by all standards. It is a clear indication that the Federal government has failed in protection of lives and property of the people that they swore to protect.

“What this means in effect is that power has been transferred to non- state actors. They are totally in charge now and come to kill people at will and go freely and no person has ever been arrested,” he lamented.

The Senator went on, “How can such a government say that it is a government? We don’t have a government. Because when you swear to either the bible or the quran that you will protect lives and property of the people and the people have been consistently killed and no decisive action has been taken. Nothing has been done, no person has been arrested, it means that we don’t have a government,” Suswam insisted.

While commending the bravery of security operatives, Senator Suswam maintained that they have been overstretched, noting that among those killed were two policemen who he noted were grossly inadequate and could not cope with the firepower of the terrorists.

In his remarks, Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly and PDP Governorship candidate, Engr Uba expressed sadness over the unprovoked killings which he said have gone on for too long without the Federal Government arresting the situation.

The Speaker insisted that since the Federal Government is not ready to provide security to stop the Benue killings, the authorities should grant license to the State Government to procure firearms for Volunteer Guards to complement conventional agencies in tackling insecurity in the state.

Speaker Uba also advocated the creation of state Police to enable each state of the federation to deal with rising security challenges.

House of Representatives Member for Ukum/Logo/Katsina-Ala Federal Constituency, Dr Gbande, State Assembly Member for Ukum, Thomas Mlanga, Chairman of Ukum Local Government Council, Derick Kaatyoo as well the Acting Ter Ukum, Chief Utambe Nyagba who also spoke during the visit, unanimously said, “What has been done to us as a people is that we have to protect ourselves”.

Governor Ortom’s representative, accompanied by Senator Suswam and others later visited the morgue where corpses of the victims have been deposited as well as the hospital where those injured are receiving treatment.