The Gbong Gwom Jos, Dr. Jacob Gyang Buba has described the New Year day killings in Benue State by suspected Fulani herdsmen as “beyond imagination.”
Dr. Buba made this statement on Wednesday, January 24, 2018 when he paid a condolence visit on the Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse, on the gruesome murder of over 100 people by the herdsmen.
The monarch, who is the chairman, Plateau State Council of Chiefs, sent his condolence message to the Tor Tiv through His Royal Highness (HRH), Da Edward Bot, Da Gwom Rwey of Barkin Ladi and Da Gyang Balak of Da Gwom Rwey of Vwang.
He expressed heartfelt condolence to the Tor Tiv and the entire people of Benue State over what he described as the “dastardly act of man’s inhumanity to man.”
The Gbong Gwom stated that although similar calamities have befallen them on the Plateau and other communities in Nigeria, the dimension of the Benue incident was “beyond imagination.”
According to him, “it is incumbent on us to commiserate with one another and to continue to focus on charting a course that will restore the peace and communal inter- relationship for the progress of Nigeria”.
He prayed the Almighty God to console those who lost their loved ones and grant the souls of the departed eternal rest.
Responding, the Tor Tiv appreciated the show of love and brotherliness displayed by the Plateau Council of Chiefs under the leadership of the Gbong Gwom at a very trying moment for the Tiv nation.
The traditional ruler said that he felt consoled by the visit by the people who had suffered the same fate in the near past.
He said that it was saddening to observe the Federal Government’s nonchalant attitude to taming the tide of unprovoked killings by herdsmen. He pointed out that the mission of the invaders was to overrun the Benue valley with the view to occupying the land being an Islamic agenda.
