Traditional ruler of Yelwata community in Benue State, HRH Kumaga Jor, has urged US President Donald Trump to hasten military action to rout terrorists not just in his domain but elsewhere.
Thumbing up moves by Trump to end alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria, Chief Jor stressed that it was about time the insurgency matter was handled decisively.
Recall that over 200 persons in Yelwata, many in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp, were murdered by armed Fulani militia in June this year.
The massacre shook the nation, prompting President Bola Tinubu to pay an official visit to the State where he visited a hospital to sympathize with survivors and their available family members. He also ordered security chiefs to eliminate terrorists nationwide.
Furthermore, Tinubu held a town hall meeting with stakeholders, leaders of the State and other groups during which the Chairman of the State’s Traditional Council and Tor Tiv, Ochivirigh Professor James Ayatse, pointedly told the President that the Yelwata and similar mass killings in Benue were the handiwork of terrorists.
His words: “Your Excellency, it is not herder/farmer clashes, it’s not communal clashes. It’s not reprisal attacks or skirmishes. It is this misinformation that has led to suggestions such as ‘remain tolerant, negotiate for peace and learn to live with your neighbours’.
“What we are dealing with here in Benue is a calculated, well-planned, full-scale genocidal invasion and land grabbing campaign by herder terrorists and bandits, which have been on for decades.”
Welcoming Trump’s threat of US military action while speaking with journalists in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, today, Chief Jor agreed with the US President that there is ongoing killing of Christians in Nigeria.
He said: “The attack on my domain as well as other attacks in Benue State were carried out by Muslim terrorists.”
The traditional ruler thanked Trump for coming to the aid of Christians in Nigeria and urged him to expedite action.
According to him, “the situation remains dire as killings go on almost daily with many villages sacked and occupied by the terrorists.”
He expressed sadness that original inhabitants of sacked communities were now forced to become refugees in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps scattered across the State.
*PHOTO CAPTION: Terrorists in the bush.
