Leadership of tribal groups in Benue State has commended President Donald Trump for commencing air strikes in the North West to eliminate terrorist groups operating in that part of the country.
They lauded the American president for keeping to his words and appealed to him to extend the action to the North East and North Central to ensure complete elimination of terrorist groups attacking and killing Christians, as well as Muslims.
The Chairman of the tribal leaders and President-General of Mzough U Tiv, MUT, Worldwide, Chief Iorbee Ihagh, who was reacting to the development, said he had already written a letter to the American presidnet to commend him for taking the bold step to end the genocide of Christians in the country.
Chief Ihagh recalled that he had in the past appealed to Trump to step in and help put an end to the killings in the country.
“So it is a welcome development. All we are urging the American presidnet is that the strikes should be sustained and it should be decisive.
“We also urge that it should be extended to the North East and North Central or Middle Belt where we have suffered unimaginable attacks and killings by these terrorist groups.
“Benue State in particular has suffered unimaginable level of killings forcing hundreds of thousands of our people into Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps,” he said.
Beyond military action, Chief Ihagh also appealed to the American government to take the action a step further by looking into the humanitarian crisis in Benue State and provide support that would help displaced persons return to their ancestral land, kmsome of which he said had been taken over by terrorist herdsmen.
According to him, “We have a huge humanitarian crisis in Benue as we speak and this was occasioned by the relentless attacks of our communities by these terrorist groups who masquerade as herdsmen.
“We appeal to the American government to take their action a little further by coming in to help and assist our people gain access to their ancestral homes that have been taken over by the terrorists.
“As I speak with you, my home, Moon in Kwande Local Government Area was sacked by terrorists who are currently occupying the entire ward. I am speaking as a victim and I know and feel the pain with my people.
“I personally thank America for coming in to do this. I have already written the American president to commend him and we hope and pray that this intervention will finally give us peace in Nigeria and Benue State in particular so that our people can return to their farms in their ancestral lands.”
