Many people have been killed in a fresh communal crisis between Ochoro and Bonta communities of Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State. In April, the military had sacked Bonta community following the killing of 12 soldiers who went to quell crisis in the area. There was a bit of stability after the military invasion. But a fresh rivalry broke out between Bonta and Ochoro, a neighbouring community, two days ago. About 50 houses were reportedly razed in the crisis. Witnesses from both sides of the warring communities admitted that the crisis broke out on Monday and escalated on Tuesday night. A witness from Konshisha told our correspondent that the renewed crisis could be an offshoot of the age-long rift between Bonta and Ukpute. “The lingering Bonta-Ukpute crisis escalated on Monday at Ochoro with Tiv militia attacking the community.” “Over 30 women and kids massacred. And over 50 houses were razed. Ochoro is neighboring community of Bonta and Ukpute. It is a community in Oju that has no issue with neither Bonta nor the militia.” However, the Chairman of Oju LGA, Clement Onaa, told newsmen in Makurdi, the state capital, that he was aware of the crisis and had called his Konshisha colleague to commiserate with him. “The attack of yesterday (Tuesday) was not in Oju but Konshisha, though, Ochoro community is dominated by Igede people One thing you must know is that Oju and Obi people who are of Igede live in Gwer East and even Konshisha LGAs or any other Tiv areas.” The Council Chairman of Konshisha, James Ijirgba, also confirmed the fresh crisis to journalists. “I’m aware of the crisis but it is still a rumour until I hear from the DPO who promised to get details and brief me but I have not heard from him, you know that the place is far from the LG headquarters.” Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Benue, DSP Catherine Anene, however, did not respond to calls put through her telephone.

The Catholic Bishops of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province has condemned in strong terms the alleged selective administration of justice in the country by the federal government, saying this development has greatly affected the image of the nation to the global communities. The bishops from Ibadan Archdiocese, Ilorin, Ondo, Oyo, Ekiti and Osogbo Dioceses in a communiqué released after their meeting at the Domus Pacis Pastoral Institute, Igoba, Akure, on Wednesday noted that the current waves of insecurity in the country are confirmation that the government has mismanaged the situation by not addressing the criminal elements wreaking havoc but dissipating energy on silencing lawful citizens. The communiqué which was made available to Tribune Online in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital on Wednesday by the Catholic Bishop of Ekiti, Most Rev Felix Ajakaye was signed by the province chairman, Most Rev Gabriel Abegunrin and the secretary, Most Rev Akin Oyejola. The bishops lamented that the nation under the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has lost its soul and that the insecurity pervading the land, dwindling economy and others are all indices of a failed country needing an urgent revival. They berated the presidency for attacking the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah for his revelations to the United States Congress on the state of things in the country, insisting that Kukah made patriotic and commendable points with verifiable data on the unlawful persecution of Nigerians. The communiqué reads, “Nigeria, our country, seems to have lost its very soul because it is no longer a healthy entity. The good health of any nation consists in its capacity to offer its citizens a territory where they can feel at home, feel secure and enjoy the basic necessities of life. “This, unfortunately, is no longer the case in our dear country, Nigeria, where, armed conflicts, armed robbery, kidnapping for ransom, insurgency, banditry and extrajudicial killing persist as the order of the day. When a nation loses its soul, its people lose the cohesive elements of human relationships. A nation that has lost its soul is characterised by inept, uncaring leadership which functions by selective allocation of posts, privileges and resources and by selective application of justice. It is characterised by leaders who, rather than care for the citizens of the country, simply exploit and denigrate them.” On the presidency’s response to Bishop Kukah, the bishops revealed that “Bishop Kukah, in his patriotic and frank presentation, called attention to some verifiable data and statistics about the Nigerian situation on that privileged international platform. He spoke for authentic Christians and Muslims who are under persecution. No doubt, he intended to solicit the support of that forum which many Nigerians believe holds the promise of some assistance and relief from our current national crises. “The Federal Government however has characteristically gone up in arms against the person of Bishop Kukah and his purpose. It is commonly said that when there is a problem in a democracy, more democracy is needed to solve it. Sadly enough, our current federal government does not seem to subscribe to this.” Reiterating the right of freedom of expression as stipulated in the constitution, the bishops said for the sake of the nation’s democracy must be protected and that the attempt by the National Assembly to amend the press council bill is aimed at gaging the media and it should be rejected by the citizens. “We declare again, as we have done often in the past, that only the truth can set us free. Nigeria must allow this to happen! The attempt of the Nigerian National Assembly to silence the press and penalise journalists for merely doing their job is to be completely rejected. We hold that the freedom of expression is a fundamental human right, guaranteed by the constitution and cannot be alienated by any government least of all in a democracy. “For the sake of our democracy, that right, exercised with responsibility, must be protected. We support Bishop Kukah in his effort to unveil the truth about the Nigerian situation in order to ameliorate things. We call on the Nigerian government to learn not to see criticism as an attack or a crime,” they said. The clerics expressed displeasure to the lawmakers for prioritizing the interest of their political parties above the interest of Nigerians on the passage of the amended electoral act and the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), urging the citizens to challenge the decisions of the national assembly with all available means. The Bishop said, ” With the national assembly at various occasions prioritizing party and privileges over people’s rights and interest, relief and progress continue to elude Nigerians. Simply put, those who claim to represent the people seem to have perfected the art of sabotaging the progress of their same people. Indeed, the time may have come for Nigerians to no longer simply roll over and accept non-representative decisions of the assembly but to challenge them by all legitimate means.”

Armed policemen have dispersed supporters of Chief Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho who staged a protest in Ibadan against the arrest of the Yoruba nation agitator by authorities in Cotonou, Benin Republic. The protesters were said to have marched to Soka Bus Stop along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway where they sang and demanded the release of Igboho. Residents said the protesters, who were armed with placards bearing various inscriptions, included males and females. They were said to have called on Yoruba leaders and the international community to fight for the release of Igboho. One of the street hawkers at Soka Bus Stop told our correspondent that Igboho supporters sang repeatedly, warning the Federal Government not to kill Igboho the way Chief MKO Abiola was allegedly killed. The street hawker said the protest grounded traffic in the area and some motorists who were conversant had to take alternative routes to avoid the area. A resident of the area who identified himself as Musbau Ogunbiyi said the protest started at about 1.50 pm. He said, “The policemen came in about four patrol vans and a car. They shot in the air and chased away the protesters.” But another resident, Taye Adeoti said the protesters marched towards Challenge Area after spending some minutes at the bus stop. Our correspondent observed that the armed policemen had taken over the place around 3.30 pm when he arrived there. They stationed themselves at strategic positions at the location. After clearing the traffic, they stayed for a while before they left.

Ogun Governor Dapo Abiodun has expressed confidence Nigeria will not experience another civil war or break-up. He declared the socio-economic challenges confronting the country will also be eventually surmounted. Abiodun admitted though the country was going through difficult times, it would overcome all challenges at the end. He spoke when he hosted the League of Imams and Alfas in the state at his Iperu country home, as part of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration. The Governor called on Nigerians not to give up but continue to have faith and trust in God, saying no problem is too big for God. “I have a mountain-moving faith in God because He alone can do the impossible. “This country will not break into two; nothing will happen to us in this country, we will not go into civil war, the unity of this country is non-negotiable, God will give us peace in this country, He will give us rest. “As a government, we will try our best, please continue to pray for us,” he urged the clerics. While advocating for religious tolerance among adherents of different faiths, he admonished Nigerians to imbibe the virtues of Prophet Ibrahim who was regarded as the Father of Faith by having absolute trust and faith in God. Abiodun submitted his administration in the last two years has been fair to all irrespective of religious beliefs, adding projects had been executed in each of the 236 wards of Ogun in line with the inclusive approach of his administration.