His Eminence Prof. James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse, Tor Tiv, and President, Benue State Council of Traditional Rulers, has said that the state will not be silenced by fear, nor will it allow unprovoked killings to define the people.
Prof. Ayatse is concerned by the unabated killings of innocent lives and the destruction of property in parts of the state by the armed wing of cattle owners. Locations in Kwande Local Government Area (LGA), including Moon, Anyiase, Abande and Anwase, as well as Otukpo and Agatu, have been hit in a renewed wave of attacks on farming communities in the north central state.
Freddie Adamgbe, Royal Special Assistant on Media and ICT, in a statement issued on Sunday, February 8, quotes Prof. Ayatse saying, “We stand united in outrage and grief against these barbaric acts of terrorism that have shattered the peace of our communities.
“These heinous killings are not just attacks on individuals; they are an assault on our collective humanity, our safety, and the very fabric of our shared life.
“We will not be silenced by fear, nor will we allow these cowardly acts to define us. We demand justice for the innocent lives lost and an end to this terror.
“Our communities deserve to live free from violence, and we will continue to raise our voices until peace and security are restored for every single one of us.”
The Tor Tiv, who cautions his subjects never against reprisals, for the umpteenth time, made a passionate appeal to the Nigerian government to deploy special security personnel (both in the air and on the ground) immediately to confront the menace and safeguard the lives of the victims in the affected communities who deserve to live free from violence.
