Governor survives gun attack

Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam narrowly escaped death  on Tuesday when his convoy was attacked by suspected Fulani  herdsmen.

Suswam’s convoy   was   on  its  way to Gbajimba in  Guma Local Government Area of the state  when the incident occurred.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the governor was on  a fact finding mission following the continuous invasion of  many communities on the  Daudu-Gbajimba road by   herders.

NAN which  did not provide detailed information about another  attack on   Tse-Akenyi,  reported that there was about an hour  exchange of gunfire  between  the bandits and Suswam’s security aides.

Suswam, who confirmed the incident, told   the  victims of the attack in Gbajimba,   that the situation was disturbing.

He added that people must defend themselves if security operatives failed to do their job.

The governor said, “I salute each and every one of you for your courage and steadfastness throughout this period. This is beyond the herdsmen; this is  a real war.

“On my way to this place, they exchanged gunfire with us for over one hour before we were able to get  here.

“My people are being   butchered and their homes destroyed. So, if the security agents, especially the military, cannot provide security for us,  we will  have to defend ourselves.

“I cannot abandon you people at this point in time to die. You voted me to provide security for you and that I must do  for you.

“These Fulani are not like the real Fulanis we used to know.  Please return to your homes and defend your land. Do not allow anybody to make you slaves in your home land. ’’

The Guma LGA   Chairman, Mr. Frank Adi, condemned the   killings   and destruction of   homes by the herdsmen.

Adi, who was represented by his deputy, Mr Godwin Viashima, appealed to the government to provide them with security operatives.

When contacted, Suswam’s  Director of Press, Dr. Cletus Akwaya, said the attackers killed some people in the  sacked   villages.

He said “His Excellency  went to the crisis area to look at the level of destruction when he was attacked. Schools in this area have been closed down since the crisis started in  2011.

“The marauders sacked the villages and some of the schools are now being occupied by their   cows. They sacked villages in Gwer, Guma-West. Some  bodies  were  recovered from some of these areas without bullet wounds.”

Akwaya  added that  government officials suspected that the invaders  were  insurgents who moved into Nigeria from Mali.

He said, “There are suspicions that the marauders may have used chemical weapons.  They may be people who moved from Libya to Mali  and they are here now.

“What they are doing in the North-East is what they are trying   to bring to the North-Central states of Benue, Plateau and Nassarawa  . It is not what the state government alone can handle.”

He, however, said there was no casualty among members of the governor’s convoy.