The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has called on the Federal Government to use all security apparatus to curb the killings in Benue State.
The Northern leaders expressed great concern over the recent attack in Yelewata community, leading to the death of scores of persons.
The spokesman of the Forum, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba in a statement condoled the members of the Yelewata Community, the Government and the people of Benue State and indeed Nigeria as a whole, praying for the repose of the souls of the dead.
He said that ACF categorically and unequivocally condemns the senseless killings that continues to escalate for far too long.
He said the situation dishearteningly seems to defy solutions, including decisive action by the Federal Government-controlled security agencies.
He said, “That the Yelewata tragedy would take place within days of the COAS’s relocation clearly illustrates that prevailing curtailment strategy must therefore be reviewed, to frontally confront the discomfiting regime of terrorism, insurgencies, banditry, communal conflicts, etc, however labelled.
“Proactive measures, including vigilance, improved intelligence gathering must be the crucial ingredients of new curtailment strategies against the recurring cycle of senseless violence.”
ACF called on citizens of Benue and other violence-prone states to commit to rejecting hate narratives, fear and anger and replace same with empathy and understanding, cooperation and reconciliation.
It also called for the immediate provision of adequate relief materials to the Yelewata and other affected communities by the Federal and Benue State Governments.
The ACF spokesman stated that impunity must not be allowed to continue to hold sway, adding that all those found culpable must be held to justice.
The Forum also encouraged community and religious leaders in the affected communities to utilise every opportunity at their disposal to act and foster exhaustive and inclusive dialogue and understanding between communities, denounce violence and incitement, as well as to promote values of shared humanity, tolerance, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
