Benue tribal leaders demand expansion of US strikes to North-East, North-Central
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By Peter Duru, Makurdi
The leadership of the tribal groups in Benue State has commended President Donald Trump for commencing air strikes in the North West of Nigeria to eliminate the terrorists groups operating in that part of the country.
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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 the terrorist groups attacking and killing Nigerians 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 the American President 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 the 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 the displaced persons return back to their ancestral land some 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, LGA, was sacked by the terrorists who are currently occupying the entire Council Ward. So I am speaking as a victim and I know and feel the pain with my people.
“I personally thank American for coming in to do this. I have already written the American President to commended 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 land.”
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