To ensure peace returns in Benue state, a coalition of civil society groups in Benue State has appealed to the Nigerian Army to sustain its fight against criminal elements in the state.
The CSOs expressed worry over reports circulating on social media alleging that over 70 persons were killed in the Konshisha Local Government Area of the state by men of the Nigerian Army.
The Benue State Civil Society for Peace and Good Governance insisted that contrary to claims by the alleged faceless group, the Army had carried out its operation in line with its rules of engagement.
The coalition in a press statement signed by its National Chairman, Dr. Elijah Shima, and National Secretary, Rev Tergnu Nyamvia described the group, Shangev-Tiv Assembly Club House, Gungula, as the alleged mouthpiece of the late militia leader, Gana’s group.
The coalition alleged that the so-called faceless group Shangev-Tiv Assembly (STA) Club House, Gundula, claiming to exist in Konshisha Local Government Area, is nowhere to be found in the LGA or the state.
The statement read in part “We cannot continue to pamper criminals because they are our relatives. We must expose all the criminals causing us pain.
“We appeal to the Nigerian Army to ruthlessly sustain the onslaught against criminal elements and their sponsors until the coast for peace is clear.
“In line with our mandate, we proceeded to the local government area and visited most of the affected villages to ascertain the veracity of information circulating.
“After several inquiries from locals and elites in the affected local government, we found that there is no group with such a name, not only in the local government but also the entire Benue State.
“We suspect that the so-called Shangev-Tiv Assembly Club House is the media department of the late Gana-led militia group”.
The coalition also lauded Governor Samuel Ortom for describing the group as faceless based on superior intelligence on the matter.
“As the chief security officer of the state, he gets firsthand information on every situation in his state and we completely stand with him for speaking the truth in defense of peace and security instead of towing.
“We wish to commend the patriotic stand of the Executive Governor of Benue State, who has always stood with his people at all times, for coming out openly in defense of the truth”.
Veteran journalist and recipient of A.B.C Yola, Reporter of the Year Award (1997), Hassan Umar Shallpella, works with WAP as a Regional Correspondence. He was trained at Institute of Mass Communication and Technology Jos and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Training School Lagos.He was a News desk Editor and a Correspondent at the Punch newspaper and till 2019, was the Deputy Editor ofThe Scope newspaper.
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