Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
The Forum of the three major social cultural organisations in Benue State namely the Mdzough U Tiv, Ochetoha K’ldoma and Omi Ny’ lgede has described as ‘unfortunate’, statement credited to Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, accusing Benue people of being responsible for the killing in the state.
Recall that the minister had, last Sunday, on Channels Television, stated that Benue people, who work for Governor Samuel Ortom, were responsible for the killings in the state particularly the two priests and 17 other worshippers at Mbalom in Gwer East local Government Area of Benue State.
President of Mzough U Tiv, Engr. Edward Ujege, who read the statement on behalf of the other tribal leaders, said the Forum takes exception to this kind of insult and unguarded utterances coming from a supposed high ranking Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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“It is unfortunate that at the time when relative peace is beginning to return to Benue State and lDPs are returning to their homes, a Minister of the Federal Republic, in the person of Amaechi, will choose to engage in such unguarded statement.
“Mr. Amaechi’s statement is an indication that the Federal Government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari is uncaring and Amaechi himself is ungodly.
“As former Governor of Rivers State is Rotimi Amaechi saying that he armed his people to fight among themselves?
“We wish to state here that that is not the case in Benue State and such would never be contemplated by our governor or any ethnic group in the state.”
The Forum opined that the Federal Government as currently constituted lacks the thinking faculty to proffer solution to the general insecurity and other economic challenges confronting the country as demonstrated in the open display of incompetence by Amaechi and other high profile office holders.
