By Elijah Adah
A pan-socio-cultural group representing the Tiv ethnic group, Mdzough U Tiv Worldwide, has called on Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, to introduce an amnesty programme that would offer presidential pardons to repentant bandits operating in the state.
The group’s President-General, retired Comptroller of Prisons, Iorbee Ihagh, made the call in a statement released to journalists on Sunday.
Ihagh expressed deep concern over the worsening insecurity in Tiv land, particularly in the Sankera axis, which he described as the epicenter of violence in the state.
Ihagh noted that the Tiv region is now under the joint control of Fulani armed herdsmen and local bandits, a situation that has led to the near-total collapse of the area’s economic activities.
He further accused some local residents of complicity in the insecurity, calling for urgent action to identify and punish those involved.
In his statement, Ihagh urged the paramount ruler of the Tiv people, Professor James Ayatse, to ensure those responsible for the insecurity in the Sankera area are brought to justice as a deterrent to others.
The group also commended the Catholic Bishop of Katsina-Ala Diocese, Most Rev. Isaac Bundepuun Dugu, for his courageous efforts to engage with the people of Sankera, including those who have been feared by their own communities.
Part of the statement read: “We urge the Government of Benue State to, as soon as possible, initiate a well-structured amnesty programme, in consultation with the Federal Government.”
to grant presidential pardons to repentant bandits. The goal is to rehabilitate and reintegrate them into their communities and families, fostering peace and rebuilding Tiv land.”
The group also called on the Federal Government, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Nigerian security agencies to increase efforts in securing the lives, property, and ancestral lands of the Benue people.
They stressed that restoring peace in the region is vital for the state’s economic recovery and food security, which would benefit not only Benue but Nigeria and Africa as a whole.
