The Benue Youth Forum has demanded for the sack of the Director General of the Department of State Security Service (DSS) for misleading the country and international community to the effect that the killings in Benue were carried out by members of the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA)
The group also rejected the report of the nation’s secret police on the killings and asked President Muhammadu Buhari to set it aside, adding that the Nigeria Police lacks the capacity to cope with the sophistication of the weaponry used by Fulani herdsmen in their attacks.
The statement signed by the president of the Forum, Terrence Kuanum said, “We received the news of the report of the Department of State Services (DSS) presented to President Muhammadu Buhari over the recent Benue killings with rude shock and hereby reject the prejudiced script in its entirety.”
The group wondered how the DSS eould vome up with such a report when infact three groups have claimed responsibility for the attacks that left 73 persons dead among them, the Myetti Allah Kautal Hore.
Kuamun noted that based on these facts “We find the said report by DSS not only as a deliberate attempt to twist facts but also a dance on the graves of the innocent children, women, youths and the aged people massacred by armed Fulani herdsmen
” A few days after the attacks, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore claimed that Benue people rustled 1,000 of their cows which was why they attacked and killed the people in retaliation.
“Similarly, another Fulani group, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association claimed that it was because of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law promulgated by Benue that they attacked the state.
“The third group, also a Fulani cultural association led by one Prof Usman said that the Benue valley belongs to them, that’s why they attacked the people of the state to “reclaim it”.
“With these glaring claims, we are surprised and disappointed at the conclusion drawn by DSS that the attacks were carried out by Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA)”, he said.
“Another fact which borders on the sincerity of the nation’s security agencies with regards to the Benue killings is the statement earlier made by Inspector General of Police (IGP), Idris shortly after he met with Mr President that what is happening in Benue is a mere “communal clash” is an indication that the report may have been doctored.
“Resting on the strength of the IGP’s statement, the question to ask is; if security agencies knew that ISWA was responsible for the killings, why did the Police Chief blame the act on communal clashes? Are the security agencies implying that ISWA members are indigenes of this country and indeed engage in communal disputes in some states?
“We suspect that the Federal Government is using DSS to divert the attention of Nigerians from the pressure mounted by local and international commentators as well as groups that Miyetti Allah leadership should be arrested, the organisation proscribed and declared a terrorist organization.”
It is following the above that the group demanded “that President Buhari should reject that report and sack the Director General of DSS without further delay for failing in his responsibility and abating genocide in the county.
“We demand the Federal Government to immediately deploy the military to the Benue valley to stop the killing of innocent persons as it has become apparent that the Nigeria Police Force lacks the capacity to cope with the sophistication of the weaponry used by Fulani herdsmen.”, he emphasized. End.
