Former President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, yesterday, condemned the fresh attack on OtobiAkpa, Emichi in Otukpo Local Government Area and Utonkon in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State by armed men suspected to be Fu- lani herdsmen.
According to a statement released in Abuja by Paul Mumeh, Special Adviser to Senator David Mark, no fewer than 15 persons were reported killed during the invasion by the armed men on Tuesday night in Otobi-Akpa, Emichi and Utonkon communities.
Mark, who was worried over the incessant attacks that have left in its trail scores of deaths and properties destroyed, said enough is enough. He said it was time the communities began to organise themselves into vigilante groups to halt further invasion by the murderers.
Mark tasked security operatives to rise up to challenge and ensure the arrest of the perpetrators and bring them to justice forthwith. “The situation in parts of Benue State today can- not be said to be ordinary or accidental. It seems to me that it is an organised and premeditated action. We can no longer stand to watch our people killed needlessly for no just cause,” he stressed.
He noted that: “As much as our people should accommodate others in our communities, we must as a matter of necessity differentiate between legitimate residents and invaders”. He, however, urged the people to remain calm and cooperate with security operatives in the task of restoring peace and order in the troubled communities.
Mark commiserated with families of the victims and prayed that almighty God grant the deceased eternal rest. And in a related development, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi, has revealed that smugglers of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as fuel, supply the product to bandits.
Adeniyi made this known yesterday during a press briefing where he paraded 500 Jerry cans and drums of PMS and later ordered their sale to the general public.
The Comptroller General, represented by the Assistant Comptroller General of Customs and national coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Hussein Ejibunu, said the seized items were valued at N26 million.
“I am here in a twin capacity to represent the CG Custs on the discovery and arrest of these illicit items and I am equally the national coordinator of Operation Whirlwind nationwide, saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that our common patrimony, that is, the PMS, is not being taken out again.
“All these seizures you are seeing here were made at different flashpoints in Niger State. This is the first time this will happen and it is an indication that we have arrived here to stop all these menaces of smuggling PMS,” he said.
