Chairman, Foundation for Ethnic Harmony in Nigeria (FEHN), Mr. Allen Onyema, has reacted to reports that Fulani socio-cultural organisation, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore apologised for the killings in Benue by alleged herdsmen during the reconciliation between the Governor Samuel Ortom and Secretary of the organisation, Saleh Hassan on Saturday.
Onyema, Chairman/CEO of Air Peace, brokered the peace between the organisation and Benue state. He said Ortom and Hassan, during the meeting pledged to maintain peace in order to put to an end to the incessant killings in the state.
Said Onyema: “The intention was for both parties to engage each other harmoniously and peacefully towards amicable solutions to the conflict. The reports that Miyetti Allah apologized for the killings in Benue as if Saleh Alhassan admitted that they were actually carried out by his group, is unfair to the peace process and for both parties.
“What he said is, ‘We are here because we want peace, we want to be able to sit down like brothers and discuss amicably, ways of ensuring peaceful co-existence between all ethnic nationalities. A lot have been said. We are not going to dwell in the past. Rightly or wrongly, if we have offended anyone in this state, we are sorry and, if we have felt offended by you, the Benue people, whether rightly or wrongly, we have equally forgiven. Let us all chart a new beginning. Let us all join hands together with the government and people of this state to flush out the criminal elements in our mist, on all sides”.
Onyema said that he organised the reconciliation between the herders and Benue people because he believes that harmonious co-existence would end the crisis that has rocked the state for years and there was the need to make a new commitment to entrench peace in the state.