By Folorunso Alagbede, in Abuja
The Federal Government has described the continued bloodletting and mindless killings across Benue State as both disheartening and utterly condemnable.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Sen. George Akume, said this in a statement personally signed by him on Monday.
The latest reprehensible act, Akume said, is ‘one among too many’, stressing that it is not merely a tragedy for Benue; but a deep wound to the soul of the nation.
He expressed profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his swift directive for a full security operation to rid Benue of “these killers” and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The federal government, he revealed,
has rendered assistance through NEMA, while more troops have been deployed to Benue state to handle the explosive situation.
According to the SGF, “The continued bloodletting and mindless killings across Benue State are both disheartening and utterly condemnable. “This latest reprehensible act — one among too many — is not merely a tragedy for Benue; it is a deep wound to the soul of our nation.
“These dastardly acts are not restricted to benue state alone. Plateau and Zamfara states also suffer the same fate. These killings are economic deterministic, not religious driven.
“The innocent lives lost — men, women, and children — will not be forgotten. We mourn them not as strangers, but as brothers and sisters, bound together by a shared humanity and a common destiny.
“Beyond mourning, I call on all sons and daughters of Benue, our leaders, traditional institutions, and key stakeholders to come together now — urgently — to forge a path toward lasting peace and security.
“We must rise above division and act decisively to protect our people and preserve our future.
“I express profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his swift directive for a full security operation to rid Benue of these killers and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“It is to be noted also, that the federal government has rendered assistance through NEMA, while more troops have been deployed to Benue state to handle the explosive situation.
“For my part, as a son of the soil and a key stakeholder, I will not relent in consulting, mobilizing, and coordinating all necessary efforts to find and implement a durable solution, as I am doing the same for all the other affected states.
“As believers, Christians, Muslims, traditionalists, we believe in the sanctity of human lives.
“Any single life lost offends the sensibility of God Almighty. All of us must live as brothers and sisters in peace and harmony.
“I extend our deepest condolences to the grieving families and the resilient people of Benue. In this dark hour, we stand with you. And we will not rest until justice speaks, – loudly, clearly, and without delay.
“May the souls of the faithfully departed rest in peace, and may peace return to the land of Benue”, he said.
