Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
The Benue State Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Akpen Leva has said that what Nigeria is facing at the moment is more than a war situation. He said it was not yet ripe for the planned withdrawal of military troops from volatile areas where peace has supposedly been restored across the country. Leva who recently celebrated his birthday in one of the IDP camps in Benue with internally displaced people lamented the plight of the IDPs and called on the Federal Government to quickly come to their aid with a view to ensuring they return to their ancestral homes without any further delay.
Recently, you celebrated your birthday at the IDP camp with internally displaced persons. We would like to know what informed that decision?
I must first appreciate God for keeping me alive to this time and for me to celebrate my birthday on the first of January 2020. I thought and prayed about it and said I could have been in the IDP camp myself if not by the grace of God. After looking at the plight of the IDPs, I decided that instead of celebrating with my family and my church, I would better go and celebrate with the IDPs and identify with them by sharing in their pains. These IDPs have stayed in camps for more than two years now, exposed to harsh weather and very difficult situations in the camp. That’s why I decided to celebrate and pray with them.
So, while there, what specifically did you see?
I just went to one camp, the Daudu Camp 3. In fact, when I went there, there were over 7000 IDPs in that camp alone. When I looked at the young children, the women, the old men, I wept because when I inspected the places they were sleeping, it was as if animals were sleeping in that place. It was a very horrible sight. Looking at the environment, it’s not a place that they should be staying for up to two years. So, when I went there, I wept. I said, look at me sleeping in the comfort of my room while human beings like myself sleeping in a very appalling environment especially now that the harmattan is so harsh in Benue State. It was not a good sight at all. They are not supposed to be there up to this time.
Sometimes in 2018, the federal government promised to resettle the IDPs with N10 billion. Has the promise been fulfilled?
Yes, you’re right. I was there myself as the leader of the church in Benue and we were the people that took on the Vice President who came and delivered the message then. And he promised that the Federal Government was going to resettle the IDPs. He even mentioned the amount which was N10 billion and we were even complaining that the money would not be enough but we could use it as a palliative measure to start the resettlement process. Sadly, up till now, that pledge has not been redeemed. That’s why we have been making appeals that the Federal Government should keep to her words of resetleing the IDPs. The IDPs are still in these camps. We know that the Federal Government has the capacity to resettle them. Why have they not been resettled. We have been asking endless questions as to why the pledge hasn’t been fulfilled. We are still calling on the Federal Government that our people are still suffering in IDP camps and they need to be resettled. Most of them had houses which were destroyed by the invaders. These houses need to be rebuilt so that the people can go back to their ancestral homes and settle down. Some of them lost everything they had. Give them assistance to start something, either business or farming activities. These were some of the things that the Federal Government promised to do. And up till now as I speak to you, it has not been done.
In more specific terms, why have the IDPs not returned to their homes?
You see, it’s not that the IDPs are happy staying in camps in Benue. Even when I celebrated my birthday with them, some of them were telling me that they are not happy staying here. But the problem is that when some of them made attempt to just go back and try to construct thatched houses and stay, they were killed. Some others became afraid and returned to the IDP camps because of insecurity. Some of the places have been taken over by the killer herdsmen in Benue State. They said it is better to live in harsh conditions than somebody taking their lives. This is basically the main reason why the IDPs are still in the camps. If not, the people were ready to go and even be sleeping on bare floors in their villages because home is home no matter what. But the fact that insecurity is till there, they said they better remain in camps. That’s why they’re still there. But if the Federal Government had done the needful, these people would have gone back home.
Talking about the security of those areas, the Federal Government brought operation Whirl Stroke OPWS to Benue. Do you think that the joint security operation has really done its best to keep these areas safe?
Yes, I must commend the Federal Government for sending Operation Whirl Stroke. You know before they came, most of the security men were gruesomely murdered until the military came and to a great extent, have tried to bring peace. But it would surprise you to know that there are some places in Benue where these killer herdsmen are still around. Even though OPWS has been working round the clock to maintain peace and keep our community safe, we still have killer herdsmen around in some areas. There are still pockets of killings in those areas. I can’t explain why but that is what is happening. That is why our people cannot yet go back. Though there is peace better than how it was before, but killings have not been completely wiped out.
The Federal Government has proposed the withdrawal of troops like OPWS from volatile spots across the country where they have been keeping peace. Do you think that this decision is ripe at this time?
This decision is not ripe considering the insecurity we have in Nigeria generally. I want to plead with the President of their country, President Muhammadu Buhari not to be hasty in withdrawing the troops. In fact, I was listening when the Service Chiefs gave elaborate reports to him and he was saying that they should withdraw in phases to enable police and the Civil Defense continue with their duty because we are not at war. I think what is happening is even more than a war situation because in a war situation, you see your enemies face to face. You don’t see the enemies. They would come at night, strike, kill people and go back. A few days ago in Kogi, 19 people were killed in an attack in Benue; it has been common. So, this is even more than the war situation. Look at all the kidnappings on the highways. Go to Ekiti, go to Taraba, go to Kaduna, all over, kidnappings are going on. Let us not be hasty in withdrawing the troops. They are helping. Let them remain. After all, it is the duty of the military to keep peace. I urge the President to exercise patience and allow the military and look after the lives of the people of Nigeria.
The present state of the nation has been a source of worry to a lot of Nigerians especially with the riding spate of insecurity across the country. What do you think is the way out?
Actually, the present state of insecurity is a source of worry to everybody including myself because you don’t know what may happen in the next hour. You will be sleeping and in the night, bandits will strike and go. It’s happening all over the country. I think the way out is to intensify efforts in security of lives and property. The military and other security agencies are doing their best but they have to step up their games. Let them evolve new strategies, let them gather intelligent reports so that they will be able to curtail some of these occurrences in our nation. If not, nobody is sure of what will happen in the next hour or in the next day. Our government needs to do more and I think that will help a lot in securing the lives of the people of Nigeria.
What is your take on the free visa policy of the Federal Government?
Yes, most Nigerians believe that the free visa policy is a ploy by the Federal Government to bring in Fulani from all over the place in furtherance of its fulanisation agenda because of what had been happening in this country before. Quite recently, they talked of open grazing and we kicked against it. They talk about Ruga, we kicked against it, they talked of stock routes, we kicked against it. We have come of age. Let us see what is happening in other countries. People who are rearing cows need to confine them. We have livestock farmers and crop farmers. You can’t just be roaming everywhere with cattle and killing people, looting and maiming in the process. And so, I think this is the time that the Federal Government has to be very careful because already, there are so many bandits in Nigeria that have come from foreign countries that are killing people. This is the time that our immigration service should tighten the visa policy so that before you come into Nigeria, you must obtain the necessary documents. And for our president to talk about visa on arrival is dangerous. It is true that one may say it is a ploy to allow all these Fulani come in with their cattle in the name of grazing. You know when they’re coming up, bandits will accompany them in the name of grazing. This is very dangerous and I think the Federal Government should have a rethink on that decision. If not, that might throw the country into an uncontrollable country where there would be chaos and crises everywhere. If America is even building walls around its country, how can Nigeria be talking of free visa policy? This is the time that we should be checking our borders and even if you’re to come in with cattle, you have to go through the normal process of obtaining visa. They will check and make sure that the cattle are healthy enough to come into the country. It shouldn’t be an open door policy whereby everybody will just come in with whatever. Nigeria is a country just like other countries. We should tighten security in our borders rather than allowing everybody to come in just like that. So, the decision is not a good one.
What’s your reaction to the statement by Miyetti Allah leader, Alh. Bodejo that the Fulani don’t need visa to come into Nigeria?
Fulani are human beings just like any other race. I cannot just go to Togo or Chad without obtaining my visa. If they are to come into Nigeria, they have to obtain visa. So, that statement by Bodejo is very unfortunate. You must obtain your visa before you go to any country. Before they came in, they must be properly checked and they must obtain the necessary papers.
As we journey through the year 2020, we would like to know what is your message for the church in Benue and Nigeria at large.
The message I have been singing is patriotism. Let us be patriotic to our nation. Let us be patriotic to one another. Patriotism entails selfless service, discipline, and so many other things. We are suffering in Nigeria now because of lack of patriotism. Our people are not patriotic. We are not true to ourselves as Nigerians and everybody, be it government, be it citizens will have to share in the blame. As we delve into 2020 and move forward this year, let us be patriotic. If you have any responsibility to discharge, be patriotic about it. Be truthful. Know that another person also needs life. Whatever you want to do, do it as if what you are doing is for yourself. Once we imbibe that spirit, I think a lot of things will change in this country. As a nation, we can’t boast of stable electricity, our roads have become death traps. If you have a vehicle, it will not last because of numerous potholes across the nation. We have contractors, we have ministers and we have people that are overseeing these ministries. What are they doing? Are they patriotic at all? When you’re given any money to do any project, do you do it as if you’re doing it unto God? And I want to add that whatever we are doing, we are accountable to a supreme being.