The Federal Government was Sunday urged to investigate the killings of about 40 herders in an airstrike believed to have been carried out by the military at Rukubi village in Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State last week.
Sources had told Daily Trust that the incident happened when the herders were returning from Makurdi, Benue State Capital, where they had gone to retrieve over 1,000 cows seized by the Benue Livestock Guards.
The incident sparked outrage, but military authorities have remained silent on it.
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) on Sunday demanded an explanation for the killings which it described as intentional.
In a statement by its spokesperson, Muhammad Nura Abdullahi, MACBAN condemned the “silence” of the Federal Government and the military on the incident.
The association also said the Benue State Government should be held liable for the incident.
It explained that the trucks carrying the livestock were closely monitored until they reached their destination before an armed drone was unleashed on the pastoralists.
“MACBAN describes the silence as reprehensible and lack of regard for the loss of lives of ordinary Nigerians who are victims of high handedness of Benue State government and the officers of the Makurdi-based Operation Whirl Stroke who deployed an aircraft/drone.”
“The pastoralists went to Makurdi earlier in the day to retrieve their 1,250 livestock earlier impounded by the Benue State Livestock Guards after paying a fine of N29million.
“If nothing, we expect the president to commiserate with the families of the victims of this heinous crime. MACBAN recalls this is the third time in one year that the (Nigerian) Air Force was involved in the bombing of pastoralists and livestock in Nasarawa, Benue and Taraba states.
“The recent killings constitute a war crime and a panel of inquiry must be constituted to find out on whose authority the drone/aircraft was used and punish the culprits.
“The late pastoralists are bona fide Nigerians, have rights like every other citizen and therefore must be protected under the law. The loss of one life is bad enough talk less of over 40 innocent lives in a single swoop. This is an unacceptable and most despicable crime against humanity.
“We find it shameful that while people were being killed, the President was enjoying a state dinner in Katsina State. We also call on the National Human Rights Commission to investigate this case and other cases involving shootings by the Air Force in Nasarawa,” the statement read.
In its reaction, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) yesterday said over 50 pastoralists and butchers were killed in the incident, urging the Federal Government to investigate the circumstances surrounding it.
The ACF, in a statement by its Secretary-General, Murtala Aliyu, demanded the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators “whoever they are”.
“To our knowledge, only government has the power to deploy armed drones. Sources told the ACF that the drone strike happened while the livestock was being offloaded after the owners were forced to take back their cattle in trucks from Makurdi.
“This incident came barely six months after a similar incident in which hundreds of livestock were killed when a helicopter gunship belonging to the Nigerian Air force from the Makurdi Base Operation carried out the strike killing and wounding the animals and some herders in Awe also in Nasarawa State.”
According to the ACF, the death of one person, in a serious country, is enough to attract the attention and intervention of the government.
“The Nigerian airspace is managed by the Federal Government through the Nigerian Airspace Management Authority (NAMA). So, we expect the Federal Government to immediately fish out the perpetrators of this dastardly act, whoever they are, to face the law,” the ACF said.
It commended the Nasarawa State Government for the intervention it made so far in giving medical attention and support to the survivors and the victims’ families. While condoling the families of the deceased, the ACF called for adequate compensation to the families of the victims.
Also, the Northern Consensus Movement (NCM) called on the federal government to pay compensation to the families of the slain pastoralists.
The group lamented the attitude of some northern leaders, particularly northern governors, for keeping silent despite the fact that all those killed were northerners.
The group’s president, Awwal Abdullahi Aliyu, at a news briefing in Kaduna on Sunday, also asked the National Assembly to ensure the incident was not swept under the carpet.
The group threatened to sue Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom for his alleged act of hatred against Fulani and Hausa residing in his state.
It warned him against harassing northerners in the state, asking northerners to support a northern candidate in the coming presidential election for the survival of the region.
In a statement by its spokesperson, Muhammad Nura Abdullahi, MACBAN condemned the “silence” of the Federal Government and the military on the incident.
The association also said the Benue State Government should be held liable for the incident.
It explained that the trucks carrying the livestock were closely monitored until they reached their destination before an armed drone was unleashed on the pastoralists.
“MACBAN describes the silence as reprehensible and lack of regard for the loss of lives of ordinary Nigerians who are victims of high handedness of Benue State government and the officers of the Makurdi-based Operation Whirl Stroke who deployed an aircraft/drone.”
“The pastoralists went to Makurdi earlier in the day to retrieve their 1,250 livestock earlier impounded by the Benue State Livestock Guards after paying a fine of N29million.
“If nothing, we expect the president to commiserate with the families of the victims of this heinous crime. MACBAN recalls this is the third time in one year that the (Nigerian) Air Force was involved in the bombing of pastoralists and livestock in Nasarawa, Benue and Taraba states.
“The recent killings constitute a war crime and a panel of inquiry must be constituted to find out on whose authority the drone/aircraft was used and punish the culprits.
“The late pastoralists are bona fide Nigerians, have rights like every other citizen and therefore must be protected under the law. The loss of one life is bad enough talk less of over 40 innocent lives in a single swoop. This is an unacceptable and most despicable crime against humanity.
“We find it shameful that while people were being killed, the President was enjoying a state dinner in Katsina State. We also call on the National Human Rights Commission to investigate this case and other cases involving shootings by the Air Force in Nasarawa,” the statement read.
In its reaction, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) yesterday said over 50 pastoralists and butchers were killed in the incident, urging the Federal Government to investigate the circumstances surrounding it.
The ACF, in a statement by its Secretary-General, Murtala Aliyu, demanded the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators “whoever they are”.
“To our knowledge, only government has the power to deploy armed drones. Sources told the ACF that the drone strike happened while the livestock was being offloaded after the owners were forced to take back their cattle in trucks from Makurdi.
“This incident came barely six months after a similar incident in which hundreds of livestock were killed when a helicopter gunship belonging to the Nigerian Air force from the Makurdi Base Operation carried out the strike killing and wounding the animals and some herders in Awe also in Nasarawa State.”
According to the ACF, the death of one person, in a serious country, is enough to attract the attention and intervention of the government.
“The Nigerian airspace is managed by the Federal Government through the Nigerian Airspace Management Authority (NAMA). So, we expect the Federal Government to immediately fish out the perpetrators of this dastardly act, whoever they are, to face the law,” the ACF said.
It commended the Nasarawa State Government for the intervention it made so far in giving medical attention and support to the survivors and the victims’ families. While condoling the families of the deceased, the ACF called for adequate compensation to the families of the victims.
Also, the Northern Consensus Movement (NCM) called on the federal government to pay compensation to the families of the slain pastoralists.
The group lamented the attitude of some northern leaders, particularly northern governors, for keeping silent despite the fact that all those killed were northerners.
The group’s president, Awwal Abdullahi Aliyu, at a news briefing in Kaduna on Sunday, also asked the National Assembly to ensure the incident was not swept under the carpet.
The group threatened to sue Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom for his alleged act of hatred against Fulani and Hausa residing in his state.
It warned him against harassing northerners in the state, asking northerners to support a northern candidate in the coming presidential election for the survival of the region.
