By Rabiu Doma
A nonpolitical and religious group in Nasarawa south senatorial zone of Nasarawa state, Lafia Elders Consultative Forum (LADUF) chided Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura for the unfolding ethnic and communal conflict that resulted to the loss of thousands of lives and destruction of properties worth millions of Naira.
The leader of the Group, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Hassan Liman chided the Governor for the non-implementation of series of commissions of inquiries set by the state Government to look into the unavoidable skirmish.
The group expressed dismay over the plight of people of the state following the killings of people on daily basis.
The group blamed the state Governor for hand in glove approach of the Government of Nasarawa state, saying unless those behind the skirmishes are arrested the state will know no peace. They condemned the attack on security operatives as a total disregard to constituted authorities in the state. LADUF maintained that the apprehension of those behind the violence has become necessary to the survival of the state.
The stakeholders confided that the attacks on Assakio, Agyaragu, Burum-Burum, Kwandare and Alakyo are carried out by Ombatse Eggon Militia cult; Hassan Liman (SAN) gave the revelation when LADUF paid a condolence visit to the Government of Nasarawa state and the families of those that died in the Alakyo, describing the act as barbaric.
The high powered delegation which cut across the five Local Governments and 7 Development Areas faulted the state Government for the upheaval.
Calling on the state Government to expedite action by bringing to book all the perpetrators of the barbaric act, saying the implementation of the commissions of inquiries set up by the state Government is the only panacea that will quell the circumstances.
The group further called on the state Governor to embark on thorough investigation into the killings of police officers in the state. Other positions of LADUF also include the prompt execution of perpetrators of the heinous crime.
They group also called on the state Governor to set up a machinery in place that will curtail the destruction of farm produce in the zone, saying the step will prevent famine and hunger in the zone, LADUF also charged Governor Al-Makura to stem the tide of armed robbery in the state, Hassan Liman commended the effort of the state Government to give lifeline to the families of those that died in Alakyo by donation a wholesome of N1m each to alleviate the suffering of the surviving families.
The state Governor, Umaru Tanko AL-Makura while responding ascribed the Ombatse cult group as a pain on the neck. He declared the spiritual leader of the group, Baba Alakyo a persona non grata calling on the general public to expose anybody or group of person involved in the traditional cult, according to him, “apart from calling on monarchs in Eggon land I personally invited the spiritual leader in person but he refused to honor our invitation, adding that despite community based approach no fruitful result was achieved.”
The Governor said the repercussion of the devilish act will robe on the entire state and nation, attesting that the act is barbaric, callous to the present generation, saying Ombatse inflicted misery in different communities by sacking human inhabitants including forceful initiation of people into the cult group. He however said Government of the day will not fold her arms seeing people causing untold hardship to the entire state.
