More than 1,000 militias with 700 armed in various camps in Benue state have been unveiled.

Each of them is paid a monthly stipend of N15,000 by the state government, an allegation that the government had denied.

The militia, known as civilian Joint Task Force (JTF), was unravelled following the arrest of nine of them by the military personnel deployed in the area to stop the killings allegedly being carried out by herdsmen.

Troops of 93 Battalion of the Nigerian Army stationed in Takum, Taraba, effected the arrest of the nine members of alleged sponsored armed militia known as Civilian JTF at Arufu, a boundary town between Taraba and Benue.

Mr Terver Akase, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Samuel Ortom, said in Makurdi that government had not recruited any militia group.

Akase said in a statement that the governor was widely recognized for his disarmament policy which brought the amnesty programme leading to the recovery of about 700 arms and ammunition with over 800 youths laying down their weapons to embrace the programme across the State.

“It is also on record that the present administration inherited the State Civilian Joint Task Force from the previous government but later proscribed it. ‘’

He said following the enactment of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law in the state last year, the government set up Livestock Guards to help in implementation of the law.

“The Livestock Guards are not armed personnel. Their job is to ensure compliance with the regulation of ranches establishment and prohibition of open grazing of animals in the State.

“The Benue State Government believes in the use of conventional security agencies to protect the people. Even in the face of renewed killing of innocent people by herdsmen in Logo and Guma Local Government Areas, Governor Ortom did not let the people resort to self-help. The Governor acted swiftly to get the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari for the deployment of more troops to troubled parts of the State,’’ Akase said.

A top military source in Abuja, confirmed that five of those arrested were armed with AK-45 rifles fully loaded.

The source said that shortly after their apprehension, a reinforcement of CJTF came to prevent troops from transporting the suspects to the Battalion Headquarters.

“However, when the soldiers stood their ground the armed militia’s reinforcement withdrew.

“During the preliminary investigation the arrested CJTF claimed that the weapons were issued to them by Benue State government through one Alhaji Aliyu Tashaku.

“The suspects also confirmed that they were 60 in number in their own camp located at Gbeyi, Benue State,’’ the source disclosed.
(NAN)

http://www.metronaija.ng/1000-militias-unveiled-benue/

cc: lalasticlala mynd44

nice one,let d war begging

Blackmail guerrilla style. I think our Military has been compromised.

“The Livestock Guards are not armed personnel. Their job is to ensure compliance with the regulation of ranches establishment and prohibition of open grazing of animals in the State.

They should be armed, the Fulanis have had it too easy for several years.

Soldiers pls let them alone to do their job... imagine me hearing dis Fulani herdsmen r hiding in Nasarawa state under d guidance of Tanko

I get mad and angry when I read post like this. This is the problem of this country. When you try to defend yourself, na problem. When they come to kill you, nobody would come to your rescue.
We have left the issue of herdsmen where no one has been arrested to tackle the issue of vigilantes who are only defending themselves.
If it is NigerDelta Militant and IPOB, you would deploy Army but because it is Fulani herdsmen, you deploy Police.
The time of ''there is God'' don pass, this one, we no go gree o!

This is blackmail of the highest order! I pray all the other states will recruit militia to attack any Fulani herdsmen terrorist.
How many weapons have they (Army, Police etc) seize from Fulani herdsmen? Now they are shouting, militia in Benue State. God will soon judge this country

It is a planned strategy. You can't fight the fulanis. The soldiers are fully behind them. It will take a revolution to change this and many lives may be lost in the process.

Communities across the South need to take uparms and wage war against those rampaging animals. The government will not protect the communities because most of the top security personnel in the south, especially sout-east and South south are fulanis. It is a strategic invasion that is orchestrated by their cohorts and sponsors in government

The same military dat had not made any arrest of any Fulani herdsmen is arresting ppl dat want to defend demselves.

Chai

People should protect themselves. I've always been in support of that. All action should be defensive never offensive though. We dont need vigilantes. At the end of better judged by 12 than carried by 6.

This herdsmen issue is main reason people should support decentralized policing. Buhari been an idiot for not tackling this issue. Herdsmen have no business in the states where open grazing is banned (Benue and Taraba). If you don't want to ranch heads over to the other 34 states.