Agatu Communal Clashes Unfortunate, says Presidential Aide

Dr Mariam Marsha, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), has described the Agatu communal clashes as unfortunate and not in the character of Nigerians.

 

Masha, condemned the incident in an interview with newsmen on Monday in Abuja.

 

The clashes claimed the lives of more than 300 people including women and children.

 

The incident also resulted in the displacement of people seeking refuge in various communities.

Masha said government was working closely with key players in the area, to address the root causes of the communal clashes.

 

“It’s unfortunate because this is very unlike Nigerian, violence of this nature is terror and it is not something that is a part of us.

“And it’s something that we need to work together both within the community at the government level, state and federal levels, but also within the communities.

“The community leaders, religious leaders are also people that can be very influential in changing the narrative.

“When issues like this occur it’s important that there is justice, law and order must prevail and there is justice.

“And when that is seen to have been done, than people have the feeling of being looked after, people have the feeling of being considered.

“It’s not something that one would wish for anyone but it’s as I said again, is very unlike Nigerians and we need to do our best to push back against this kind of incident in the future.

 

She pledged government’s commitment to providing assistance for victims of the communal clashes.

 

“NEMA, I am aware has started providing assistance and beyond that is the measures being put in place to find security solutions, we have the military and that is just one step.

“If we don’t know what the real causes are, we will be scratching
through the surface of the issues,’’ she said.

 

The presidential aide said the IDPs in Benue required urgent and special attention as those affected by similar incidences in the North East and other parts of the country.

 

(NAN)

Aisha Buhari Donates Relief Materials To Agatu Crisis’ Victims

Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, yesterday donated relief materials to persons displaced in the Agatu crisis, camped at the NOGOA Secondary School Makurdi.

Mrs. Buhari who was represented by the wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osibanjo, said her visit to the state was also to enable her obtain first hand information on crisis. She condoled with victims of the crisis in Agatu and other crisis ridden areas of the state promising that they would not stand alone in their moment of grief.

Earlier, Governor Samuel Ortom insisted that Benue State was under the siege of marauding Fulani herdsmen who invaded the state from outside the country and urged the federal government to intervene to stem the killings. According to the Governor, “the devastation and destruction in Benue state is more than what happened in the North East, we are under siege and those behind this are not the normal Fulanis who have lived with us over the years, they are from outside. Given our strategic position as the food basket of the nation, if the Federal Government does not stand up to stop the crisis, there will be shortage of food in the country next year.”

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