By Peter Duru, Makurdi 

Benue born Professors of Tiv extraction under the aegis of Forum of Ayatutu Professors have advocated the resort to community approach to security and self help to tackle the armed herdsmen induced insecurity in the state. 

The Forum also called for the expansion of the role of Benue State Bureau of Homeland Security to include protection of farming communities. 

The group of academics in a statement at the end of an emergency meeting in Makurdi, signed by the Chairman, Board of Trustees and Council of Management, Prof. Tor Iorapuu, and Secretary, Prof. Simon Irtwange stated that the call became necessary given the failure of government to protect the lives and property of the people of the state. 

The group stated that “pursuant to the aims and objectives for its formation, the Forum of Ayatutu Professors met and discussed the ongoing killings in Benue State by the marauding armed herdsmen and their sponsors for purposes of islamization, land grabbing, disruption of the economy, the culture and education of the people, mining of minerals among others. 

“The Forum ackhowledged that despite the efforts of the various tiers of Govemment, they have failed in their responsibility of protecting the lives and property of the Tiv people and Benue State citizens in general. 

“The Forum agreed that in the immediate, there is the need for community approach to security, self-help, but it must be within the framework of careful post-conflict management of its complexities. 

“There is a need therefore to mobilize and organize our people to defend their lives, land and the future wellbeing of their children. 

“We must defend against ambitious land grabbers working in cohort with some power-seeking, disoriented, ambitious but self-centered politicians and traditional rulers. 

“The Forum calls for the expansion of the role of Benue State Bureau of Homeland Security to include Farming Communities Protection and further recommends an annual levy of N1,000 for all taxable adults in Tiv land and Benue State in general for the funding of the activities of the renamed Bureau of Homeland Security and Farming Communities Protection. 

“The Forum encourages the Tiv and Benue people to remain focused and united. The era of the attitude of a community for myself is gone. The longer we journey on the road to unity, the more sense of belonging grows and deepens. This is the only way we can collectively challenge and fight this deliberate but unprovoked humiliation. 

“The Forum encourages the Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia and all the Paramount Traditional Rulers to keep their focus on this uncomfortable cross. 

“The Forum equally encourages all the National and State Legislature of Benue to speak, act urgently and interrupt their comfort zones to deal with these potential whispers of war.”