Disgruntled politicians behind instigated killings in Benue, CSOs beg Tinubu for intervention

A coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) under the aegis of Coalition for Civil Society in Nigeria and Advocates of Social Justice, has sent a Save our Souls (SOS) message to President Bola Tinubu to rein in some erring politicians at the federal level who they accused of sponsoring crisis in Benue state with a view to instigating him to declare a state of emergency.

The group also declared that the wave of killings in the state is as a result of a political power-play, adding that some dishonourable members of the society have constituted themselves as elements to pull down Benue State government and by extension, Nigeria.

Addressing a news conference on Sunday in Abuja, Chief Convener of the coalition, Comrade Igwe Ude-Umanta said since the day Benue State Local Government Election Tribunal delivered judgment in favour of the elected councilors from the seven local government areas of Benue North West Senatorial District, Zone B, hell has been let loose in Benue.

“Everyday, there are pockets of killings and there are rumours of the killings being sponsored by some lawmakers who constitute themselves as enemies of the State”, he said.

Ude-Umanta’s views were re-echoed by Comrade Guana Joseph Benjamin, Comrade Tijani Usman, Comrade Danielson Momoh, Comrade Abdulmumuni Tijani and Dr Alfred Audu Gbaja, all co-conveners.

The coalition said it was worrisome that people who were elected to serve the people are the ones also killing them indirectly, just to score political points.

“What will the people gain if they continue to lose their loved ones because you want a state of emergency declared in your own State? This must be stopped. Do they think that Nigerians would fold their arms and watch these few elements pull down the country?

“We call on the security agencies to immediately go after the serial killers in Benue state. Street and campus cults are being used while they will blame it on the State Governor for failing to provide security even though they know full well that State Governors do not have control over security matters in Nigeria but the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“These same characters would boldly tell the world that they are supporting Mr President yet, they are bastardizing his administration and secretly sponsoring insecurity in Benue State.

“We make bold to say that Mr President has achieved so much in the area of security and he should be supported by all well-meaning Nigerians to do more. We understand that if the security agencies did a thorough investigation of the killings in Benue, many politicians would go down”, the coalition stated.

The group also alerted security agencies of plans by some federal appointees and lawmakers to mobilize over 20, 000 people for a protest in Abuja against the Benue State Government.

“They orchestrated pockets of killings in Benue and they want to amplify it in the FCT through a mass protest and cause civil unrest in the Nigerian seat of power. The security agencies should immediately investigate and charge anyone found involved with treasonable felony, no matter how highly placed they are before it is too late.

“We urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to watch his back as the people in question are around the government and they have access to funds and could do anything just to prove a point” the coalition added.

The group stated further that it had received a letter from the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun “assuring us that actions are being taken on our petition against the Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Maurice Ikpambese and Justice M. M Adamu of the FCT High Court for judicial misconduct. “