Herdsmen Attack: End Killings In North Central, PMB Urged

The Tiv Diaspora Forum, an amalgamation of Tiv sons and daughters
residing outside Benue, have decided to joined voices with their kit and
kin and all well-meaning Nigerians, to condemn the recurring assaults
on farming communities across Nigeria by armed  herdsmen.

In a statement jointly signed by Prof. Joseph T. Zume (USA),Engr.
Lord M. Uva (USA )Son Kai Gyoh (Ph.D.) (United Kingdom and Ireland),the
group noted that they were particularly disturbed by the frequency,  the
geographic scope, and  the sophistication of these violent operations.

The group observed that if the government does not tackle the
herdsmen problem, Nigeria could well be sitting on a time bomb with
potential for a catastrophic regional humanitarian crisis. It pointed
that  the herdsmen situation is bound to result to a proliferation of
arms among communities with dangerous and long term consequences.
The statement reads in part “How is it that the herdsmen have become
so emboldened, waging their attacks freely and with military grade
assault rifles, yet, not one herdsman gets arrested, talk less
prosecuted?  “As patriotic Nigerians, we feel a sense of duty to advise
the Buhari government  as a matter of national security, disarm the
criminal herdsmen and their accomplices.

“In the short term, deploy appropriate and adequate security
personnel to affected communities with clear mandates to secure and
protect the local communities.  Address with urgency, the humanitarian
crisis that has been created by the invasion and destruction of
communities in the Benue valley, including those of the Tiv in Taraba,
Nasarawa and Benue States, that have been the greatest victims of
herdsmen atrocities,’ It stated.