CSOs alleges political power-play fueling violence in Benue

In an effort to pressure President Bola Tinubu into declaring a state of emergency, a group of civil society

organisations (CSOs) submitted a Save our Souls (SoS) message to the federal government, accusing certain corrupt

politicians of being responsible for the crisis in Benue state.

Under the aegis of the Coalition for Civil Society in Nigeria and Advocates of Social Justice, the CSOs noted that the

wave of killings in the state is the result of a political power struggle and claimed that some dishonourable members

of the community have organised as elements to bring down Benue State and, consequently, Nigeria.

Comrade Igwe Ude-Umanta, the coalition’s chief convener, stated at a press conference on Sunday in Abuja that hell

has been unleashed in Benue ever since the Benue State Local Government Election Tribunal’s ruling in favour of the

elected councillors from the seven local government areas of Benue North West Senatorial District, Zone B.

“Every day, 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.

Comrades Guana Joseph Benjamin, Tijani Usman, Danielson Momoh, Abdulmumuni Tijani, and Dr Alfred Audu Gbaja,

who were co-conveners, all echoed Ude-Umanta’s opinions.

The coalition expressed concern that those elected to serve the people are also indirectly killing them in order to further their political agendas.

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“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 bastardising

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 to plans by some federal appointees and lawmakers to mobilise over 20,000

people for a protest in Abuja.

“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 also disclosed 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.”