Wale Ibrahim,Lokoja
Worried by the wanton destruction of lives and property, the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has warned warring communities in Bassa Local government area of the State to senseless killings, sheath their sword and embrace peace.
Governor Bello gave the warning during a state broadcast in Lokoja, the State capital, on Friday.
He said that the state government would not hesitate to deal decisively with any perceived trouble makers in the area.
The governor lamented the incessant killings and burning down of houses as result of communal clashes between the Bassa Nkomu and Ebira Mozum communities in Bassa Local government area of the State .
The two communities have been at loggerhead over fish ponds which subsequently resulted in killings of several people and destruction of property from both warring communities in past one year.
While addressing the people of Kogi State, the governor stated that, “I must now address the senseless and perennial conflicts with which some communities in Bassa Local Government Area have continued to trouble the peace and tranquility of Kogi State,” he stressed
Governor Bello, who specifically warned the people of Sheria and Oguma communities in particular, stated that they must understand that they are now living in the 21st Century and there are legal ways of settling ethnic disputes over anything, including farmlands and fishing grounds.
“Government has mediated and done everything to resolve these conflicts in the past. However, the senseless bloodletting which happened overnight yesterday simply tells us that the attackers are not ready to listen to reason.
“Let it be known as of today therefore that our patience with these killings and burning of settlements is over. Enough is enough.
“We shall deal decisively with this matter henceforth. If people will not live together in peace, we have a duty as Government to enforce the peace and stop them from disturbing those who want to.
“I hereby direct our security agencies to spare no resources in hunting down and arresting the culprits in these recent attacks. We are going to try them for murder and request for the maximum penalty since they have no qualms taking human lives.
“In pursuit of long-term solutions, we are also considering the imposition of certain executive orders in the overriding public interest which are designed to finally abate this intolerable nuisance.
“In the days ahead, I assure Kogites that we will so trouble those who trouble our peace in this atrocious manner that they will find themselves so occupied with too much troubles of their own to plot or execute further mischief,” he posited.
