Benue border clashes: Suswam’s peace initiative

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Gabriel Suswam

John Akpodovhan reports on Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam’s troubleshooting to neighbouring states to stem the bloody boundary clashes that have claimed hundreds of lives and property.

Blessed are those who work for peace, for they shall be called the children of God.” The quotation from the Holy Bible aptly fits the troubleshooting efforts of Benue State governor, Hon. Gabriel Suswam, to neighbouring states of Taraba, Nassarawa and Cross River to restore peace, stability, law and order to hotspots at the state’s boundaries.

Governor Suswam’s peace efforts started two months ago when he summoned stakeholders in Tivland to the State House in Makurdi, on the way forward over incessant land disputes among his Tiv-peaking people. After rubbing minds with traditional rulers and other stakeholders, the decision to sheathe swords in Tivland was taken for peace and stability to reign among the dominant tribes. The governor sternly warned opinion moulders, chiefs and traditional rulers to stop fanning embers of discord in their various communities or face the wrath of the law.

Governor Suswam, who noted that there were more land disputes in Tivland than in Idomaland, promised to hold similar interactions with the Ochi Idoma, chiefs and other opinion moulders in the area to stem breakdown of law and order which stalls growth and development in the state. Despite the fact that Idoma areas have very few cases of turbulent land clashes, the people of Akpoge Obilolo in Apa Agila, Ado Local Government Area, have been drawn in boundary conflict with the Ngwor people of Ebonyi State. It was reported three months ago that three people were killed during a bloodbath between the two warring parties.

In keeping faith with his promise to bring about peace, stability, growth and economic development to the people of Benue State, Governor Suswam recently paid a visit to the troubled spots along the Taraba-Benue boundary stretching over 10,000 kilometres, where he met with his Taraba State counterpart, Alhaji Danfulani Suntai, for peaceful resolution of the crisis that has resulted in the death of hundreds of people and destruction of property.

At the peace meeting involving warring communities from Taraba and Benue states, the governors concluded that the sad development was not as a result of any boundary dispute, but over some economic trees by two individuals which some miscreants took advantage of. They pleaded with the people to allow peace to prevail so that they would be able to expose the criminals who were exploiting the situation to perpetrate violence. Governors Suswam and Suntai sought the cooperation of all and sundry to allow them broker the much-needed peace that will help thwart the war that was fueled by a few inhabitants and criminals.

Governor Suswam described the situation saying: “Today is the day of the Lord. We would have been in our respective state headquarters to find ways of bringing development to the state but now we are spending time on how to broker peace. In two months that we came, you have engaged in criminal activities that are limiting our productivity. “Two individuals have caused us a lot of pains only because of economic trees and created a situation were we have not known peace in the past two months. Curious that the militias have not killed themselves, there is a deliberate plan by the miscreants to unsettle the people by trapping women, killing people, goats, cows and extorting money”.

The Benue State chief executive warned community leaders that they would be put in prison to serve as deterrent to their people if found aiding or abetting crisis when he said: “The criminals are known to those who live with them. We would start holding community leaders responsible for any outbreak of criminal act. The criminals do not only attack outsiders but they also attack their own people. Why should we allow few criminals cause disaffection between us?”.

Warning communities of the consequences of any criminal action, Governor Suswam noted that the decision to set up a joint army and police patrol team to keep surveillance on the troubled spots, especially along the borders of the two states, was to keep criminals at bay. Governor Suntai reminisced with nostalgia how their forefathers had lived together, lamenting the wall that has been created and emphasised that he has resolved to work in the same spirit with his Benue State counterpart, Governor Suswam, to broker peace for the people.

He disclosed that they have both taken far-reaching decisions, promising to implement decisions reached in order to flush out criminals and bring them to book. He also revealed that one Ali Kwaram has been empowered to catch all the robbers. Two weeks later, Hon. Haruna Istifanus Gbana, Speaker, Taraba State House of Assembly, who led his colleagues and other top government functionaries, met with Hon. Terseer Tsumba, Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly, in Makurdi to review the security situation along borders of the two states.

At the end of their deliberations, a 15-point communique of the joint security peace meeting signed by the two Speakers revealed that the two Houses have resolved to stem the tide in the two states by agreeing on immediate and long term solutions to the crisis. In addition to joint patrols by security men, the officers are not to harass, intimidate, loot, rape or humiliate the people. Legislators from Ukum, Katsina-Ala, Takum and Wukari local government councils should always meet to talk, while traditional rulers should engage themselves in interstate visits.

They should wade into crisis situations between their subjects and the state executive arm of government to enforce peace in border towns so that those who ran away would return to continue their normal life. The people want the Federal Government to expedite action on boundary demarcation and seek equal representation from the embattled local government areas to prevent under representation. Schools should be built on flash points to allow for mix up from the warring groups and names of militia groups should be compiled to enable security agencies keep eagle eyes on them.

Before the visit of the Taraba legislators, Governor Suswam was in Nassarawa State where he met with Governor Akwe Doma, who was represented at the meeting by the deputy governor, Chief Steven Lawani, on how to keep their borders safe from criminals. In continuation of his search for peace with neighbouring states, Governor Suswam was in Cross River State to discuss with Governor Liyel Imoke to ensure that Ugee-Mbaabi area of Obaliko Local Government Area of Cross River State and Mbaikpe and Uge Mbalav areas of Kwande Local Government of Benue State keep faith with the agreement to sheathe their swords.

The governors constituted a committee to determine the extent of damage inflicted on the two local government areas enveloped in the land dispute in order to compensate affected families. Governor Suswam, who regretted what led to the recent dispute, was of the opinion that the meeting would provide permanent solutions that would usher lasting peace to the affected local government areas. He admonished criminals who were behind the crisis to stay clear of the troubled areas, wondering why they would, as minorities sharing boundaries, not work together for peace and stability of their environment.

Responding to Governor Suswam’s speech, Governor Imoke, who was represented at the meeting by Hon. Bekware, representing Obudu Constituency, and Hon. Paul Ada, representing Obaliko Constituency, promised that there would be no repeat of the crisis that led to destruction of lives and property in the area.