Bandits, Not Idoma People Killed MACBAN Leader Mohammed – Council Chairmen

June 28 () — Council Chairmen from Benue South have condemned the gruesome murder of Ardo Risku Mohammed in Oturkpo Local Government area of the state, absolving Idoma people from the act.

Briefing Journalists on the development in Makurdi on Sunday, the Special Adviser to the governor on Internal Security, Dr Joe Har, and Council Chairmen, noted that Benue through the efforts of Governor Hyacinth Alia has brought down the bloodbath in the state under control in the past six months.

The Adviser described the late MACBAN leader as an advocate of peace, whose positive posture was building collaboration and within Benue communities.

“Benue State dissociates itself from this barbaric act. It is not an Idoma or Benue agenda, but a criminal act, which the perpetrators won’t go unpunished”, Joe Har declared.

While charging security agents to identify and arrest the perpetrators of the heinous crime, he urged any person or group to refrain from taking laws into their hands so as to allow security forces to go after criminals in the state.

According to Joe Har, as Benue marked its 50th year of existence, it is looking forward for peace and love among residents.

In his comment, the chairman of Agatu Local Government Area, Mr Marvin Ejeh, noted that it was criminal to murder someone who was contributing to the peace of Benue State.

“It is not a calculated plan by the Idoma people or the community to kill the MACBAN leader. Any plan to carryout reprisal will only affect innocent people as the criminals that carried out the act would have fled the scene”, Ejeh stated.

He said the Council stand in grief with the family of the victim, assuring of its readiness to cooperate and fish out criminal elements in the area.

On his part, the Deputy Chairman of Ohimini local Government Council, Mr Gabriel Adole, recalled that people in the community called that the Fulani asked them to leave the farm land because it belong to them.

According to the Deputy Chairman, on learning of the complaint, he drew the attention of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), who summoned a peace meeting to look into the matter, describing Mohammed as a peace builder in the community.

The chairman of Oturkpo Local Government area, Prince Maxwell Ogiri, while condemning the death of the MACBAN leader during the peace building process, stated that bandits may have been behind the act, rather than Idoma people who are peace lovers.

He commended Governor Alia for his proactive stance to sustain peace in the state, especially in Benue South, and urged citizens to be law abiding in the wake of the killing for security forces to search for perpetrators.