By Amos Aar
THREE socio-cultural organisations in Benue State; Mzough U Tiv, Ochetoha K’Idoma and Omi Ny’Igede, have called on security agencies in the country to arrest Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the deposed Emir of Kano and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and his collaborators for allegedly sponsoring terrorism in Nigeria and causing the recent reprisal attacks on Benue communities which allegedly claimed many lives.
Sanusi and 51 others were alleged to have signed a document which they forwarded to the Presidency, in which they accused the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, of masterminding a recent military airstrike that reportedly killed Fulani herdsmen in Nasarawa State.
Sanusi’s allegation has since sparked reprisals against Benue State as scores of lives have been destroyed within the period according to the socio-cultural groups.
In the text of a press conference held on Saturday, 4th February 2023 and signed by CP Iorbee Ihagh, the President General of Mzough U Tiv who is also the Chairman of the three socio-cultural groups in Benue State, AVM Tony Adokwu (rtd), the President General of Ochetoha K’Idoma, and Dr Comrade Ben Okpa, the President General of Omi Ny’Igede, insisted that Sanusi’s false accusation against Ortom has provoked more herdsmen killings in Benue even as they said, the military has publicly claimed the Nasarawa airstrike.
“After carrying out several reprisal attacks on Tiv communities, both in Benue and Nasarawa states, the terrorists are now gathering at the [boundary] between Benue and Nasarawa, preparatory to launch further attacks on unsuspecting communities in Benue State.
“We want to state unequivocally and with emphasis that Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and his co-travelers are the sponsors and by extension, the killers of the people of Benue State”, the Presidents General alleged.
“We call on Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, president Muhammadu Buhari, to take deliberate and decisive steps to stop this ethnic cleansing, orchestrated and sponsored by Lamido Sanusi and his co-travelers”, they added.
While the groups called on the military particularly Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) to stifle the planned attacks on Benue communities by herdsmen, they also appealed to President Buhari to place the military in the area on “red alert give, them matching order and beef up security at the [boundary] towns surrounding Benue State to forestall further reprisals which may lead to break down of law and order”.
The socio-cultural organisations also called on the international community to place the deposed Emir of Kano on terrorist watchlist. “We call on the international community to place Lamido Sanusi on the terrorists’ watch list, keep a close tab on his activities, activities of his collaborators and armed militia herdsmen and hold them accountable for their actions.”
