Terrorists are now camouflaging as Fulani herdsmen to perpetrate their evil agenda, Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam has said.
Suswam revealed his apprehension on Monday during a solidarity visit to President Goodluck Jonathan by stakeholders of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from the north-central zone.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation comprising Senator Ahmadu Ali, former national chairman of the party; Senate President, David Mark; PDP governors; senators and House of Representatives members from the zone, Suswam asserted that mercenaries from other regions have infiltrated his state under the guise of Fulani herdsmen.
Suswam revealed that on Sunday, he had an all-night meeting at the Government House in Makurdi with President-General of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBA), Alhaji Bello Abdullahi Bodejo.
He stated that he had interacted with lots of Fulani friends and they had told him that those people are not the Fulanis that are indigenous to Nigeria.
He said Bodejo denied that members of his association could be so vicious and destructive, suggesting that the destructive ones are mercenaries and there is an urgent need for collaboration between Benue State and members of MACBA to overcome the security challenges.
“Last night, the president-general of Miyetti Allah spent the night with me in Benue State”, Suswam said.
“He told me there is a need for us to form a joint force, from Benue and the Fulani communities, to fight these people who are creating these problems, which clearly show that these are people who are foreign, even to the Fulanis that we know”.
Suswam expressed concerns over the attacks, especially as elections are approaching. He lamented that the concerns are particularly worrisome at this time due to the revelation that it is not just the Fulani herdsmen who are perpetrating attacks in the zone, but some insurgents in disguise.
“Mr. President, what we have witnessed lately is well-trained people who are trained to kill and destroy and the manner of destruction is so massive and is unimaginable”, he said.
“The North Central is very worried because the states mostly affected are Plateau, Nasarawa and Benue”.
Referring to the magnitude of the destruction caused by the herdsmen over the years, Suswam expressed surprise that no one has ever been arrested. He urged the Federal Government to make bigger commitments towards apprehending the perpetrators.
He also pressed for heavy sanctions to be placed on anyone caught in the action, as a warning example for others.
“Mr. President, you must insist that your security must arrest these people”, he said.
“If you see the level of destruction and the fact that no person has been arrested, it becomes worrisome, Mr. President, how do these people get their arms, because they are carrying very sophisticated weapons?
“But a situation where we have some evil men deliberately conniving with some forces that we believe are subterranean to destroy this country and the good achievements that you have put in place should be something that should worry all of us”.
He thus urged the governors of the zone to intensify efforts in addressing these very important security problems.
Suswam’s belief that insurgents have infiltrated his state in the guise of herdsmen might be linked to an attack he himself suffered in March. The governor’s convoy came under heavy gunfire around Guma Local Government Area of the state, as he was attacked by Fulani herdsmen(suspected to be insurgents) who had earlier invaded the community, beheading more than 25 people and setting several houses ablaze.
Suswam, who was visiting the Gbajimba the council headquarters at the time to sympathise with them on the attacks, subsequently said people must be allowed to defend themselves if security operatives fail to do their job.
