Tension: Fear Grips Benue Community As Militias Demand N20m
Palpable fear has gripped residents of the Torough community in the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State as local militias have asked them to raise N20 million for them or face serious attack.
Locals in the community who did not want to be mentioned for fear of being killed told newsmen that the local militias have threatened to unleash an attack on the community if the money is not paid in the next few days.
Consequently, the villagers are now running helter-skelter to raise the N20 million as residents of the community have shared the amount with each house to contribute at least N50,000.
One of the natives told our correspondent that, “already, the money has been shared according to household, but the least amount is N50,000.
“Some have started disposing of their farm produce and livestock to raise the levy, while others have contacted their relatives outside to raise the levy so as to avert the attack of the bandits.
The source added that nobody in the village, including the village head, could dare report the matter to security so as not to anger the local militias.
The chairman of the local government, Victor Iorzaa, confirmed the ugly development and added that the villagers now live in fear.
The council boss further said that he had reported the development to the police and state security councils.
Iorzaa said a notorious militia leader, known as ‘Full Fire’, is the person behind the taxing of the people and stated that residents of the community now live in fear.
According to him, “the report is true, and the person behind it is Full Fire; he was the person who connived with Fulani recently to attack our people; he has been working with Fulani people and terrorising the area for the past five years.
“He is a bandit. If you remember, two weeks ago, the military launched an attack on his house.
“The people of the area are living in fear that the community is the most troubled place in the LG. If one is going to the village, don’t be surprised that before you get there, the person will be attacked.
“I have reported the matter to police and also the state security council,” adding, “Full Fire lives at the border community with Taraba State.”.
The LG boss commended the state governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, for his efforts at combating criminals in the state, just as he applauded security operatives for curtailing the excesses of the militias.
He said, “But security operatives are doing their best to curtail them.
Meanwhile, the State Command spokesperson, Catherine Anene, said she was not aware of the development.
The Special Adviser to the Governor in Internal Security, Joseph Har, said bandits were on the run in the state and could not have the luxury of collecting tax from the villagers.
Har said Gov. Alia’s administration was doing everything possible to mitigate the activities of bandits, kidnappers, and militias, among others, in the state.
Har said, “The issue of this illegal levy has become a common practice with bandits everywhere worldwide because they use it to survive. However, only an irresponsible government will fold its hands to allow that callous thing to happen.
“The criminals have been having a very tough time recently, and they are really having the heat and can’t have the balls to wait and collect any tax.
“Most of them have fled their camps (you can find out), and we intend to sustain the momentum until we run them down or they surrender. There is a reduction in the impunity of these bandits, and the basket will get filled again.”
