Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to security agencies to find and apprehend the suspected killers of two young men, including a newlywed, who were murdered in Gwer East Local Government Area on Monday.
Kula Tersoo, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, issued a statement condemning the horrible killings and other recent acts of violence in the state, which included the governor’s directive.
Chronicle NG gathered on Tuesday that the victims, Jonathan Ogah and Gabriel Ogodo, were riding a motorbike from Oju Local Government Area to Makurdi when they were attacked and slain near Ullam in Gwer East.
According to our correspondent, the event has increased tensions between the Igede and Tiv populations.
“The report said that the two were travelling from Oju on their motorcycle when they were attacked and killed in cold blood,” the governor noted in the statement.
Alia also condemned a separate attack on the Nyifon community in Mbaikyongo Ward, Buruku Local Government Area, allegedly carried out by youths from the Mbayaka community in Kusuv, also in Buruku LGA. The attack was reportedly motivated by a disagreement over a boat incident.
Describing both incidents as “uncalled for and unfortunate”, Alia said, “Nobody or group has the right to invade another community or inflict harm under any circumstance.”
Alia directed security agencies to work with traditional rulers in affected areas and “comb the vicinity thoroughly” to apprehend those responsible within 48 hours.
“Benue is beginning to experience a level of security stability, and I will not tolerate any attempt by anyone, regardless of their status or intentions, to instigate unrest or threaten the peace we are working hard to sustain,” Alia added.
The governor also urged locals to be calm and law-abiding while investigations progressed, assuring them that his administration was still committed to preserving lives and property.
On Tuesday, a community source who spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity said that the deaths were linked to the ongoing communal issue between Konshisha and Gwer East LGAs.
Benson Egbodo, the Secretary of Oju Local Government Area, confirmed the claim, saying, “Our men were victims of the Konshisha and Gwer East communal clash, which has lingered for three months now. At about 11am on Monday, we received a report of the killing of two of our men at Ullam in Gwer East LGA.”
According to Egbodo, the victims had left Oju at around 7am on a motorcycle, heading for Makurdi, when they were attacked.
“What we were told was that the youths thought the two young men were from Konshisha, and they attacked and killed them,” he explained.
Egbodo stated that the victims’ remains had been deposited in the mortuary, stating, “Unfortunately, one of the deceased, Jonathan Ogah, got married on Saturday and was killed on Monday.”
Attempts to contact the spokeswoman for the Benue State Police Command, Udeme Edet, for confirmation were fruitless, as calls to her phone remained unanswered.
