Tiv leader faults Army’s reaction to Amnesty’s report

The President General of Mzough-U-Tiv (MUT), a Tiv social-cultural organisation, Edward Ujege, has supported the Amnesty International (AI) report on killings in Nigeria.

In its report to the public, AI claimed that 3,641 deaths were recorded in herders-farmers clashes across the country.

But the Army accused the rights group of planning to destabilise Nigeria.

Speaking with The Nation at his home in Makurdi, Benue State capital, Ujege, who spoke on behalf of Benue tribal leaders, noted that the state alone recorded 2,000 deaths in herders/farmers clashes.

“We have the statistics and names of those killed. The Army has no statistics; so, they should not argue over the Amnesty International’s figures,” he said.

The Tiv leader urged the Army to establish a statistics department to properly disclaim what the Amnesty International had put before the public.

“The Amnesty International releases figures, but instead of reacting to the main issue, the Army is rather talking of destabilising the country. This is out of place. Let them bring their records. If no one has been killed during the clashes, let them say so,” he said.

On Army’s report that over 234,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) had returned to their homes in Benue State, Ujege said this was not enough.

According to him, more victims of herdsmen attacks are still in various IDP camps.

“We commended Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) for its mission in Benue, but we ask for more. No farmer is supposed to be in IDPs camp in Benue. So, I urged the Army to do more as the people in IDPs camps across Benue State are more than those who have returned home.”

The Tiv leader said Benue felt neglected by the Federal Government because throughout the period of attacks and killings of farmers, there were no security attempts to stop the destruction of lives and property.