Metro
Tiv traditional council tackles Sanusi over attack on Gov Ortom
***Honors Ortom, wife with chieftaincy titles
The Tiv Area Traditional Council has berated the deposed Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi for coordinated and deliberate attacks on the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom.The former Emir had led a group of Fulani elite to attack the Governor in recent times over the Grazing law that has come to stay in the State.Chief Press Secretary to the governor Nathaniel Ikyur in a statement said the Council bared its mind Monday, February 13th, 2023 in a 9-point resolution at the end of its supreme council meeting ‘Ijirtamen,’ held in Gboko.
The enlarged council meeting he said was presided over by the paramount ruler of the Tiv nation, Tor Tiv, His Royal Majesty, Prof. James Ayatse.
The Council also conferred the chieftaincy title of “Inyamkyume i Tiv” on Governor Ortom while his wife, Dr. Eunice was honoured with “Shima i Inyamkyume i Tiv.”
Prof Ayatse who read the three page press statement “Condemned in very strong terms the coordinated, unwarranted and deliberate attacks by the group led by former Emir of Kano, Khalifa Muhammadu Sanusi, orchestrated to impugn the person and office of Governor Ortom and calls on the group to embrace patriotism focusing on issues that will foster unity and peaceful co-existence rather than incitement of one group against another.
He further stated that “The 52 persons that authored the letter to the President in their statement blamed the Benue State Government as being responsible for the incident in Nasarawa State” without first waiting for the findings of the panel of investigation of the bombing which they called for in their letter.
Their action, the Tor Tiv reasoned, “Appears unfortunately premeditated and prejudicial.”
He noted that “Similar premeditated actions of some Fulbe groups and their sympathizers in Nasarawa State could have been what led to the killings, maiming and the destruction of properties of the Tiv people in Nasarawa
State.”
The Council therefore “Expressed strong support for and solidarity with Governor Ortom over the issue of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017 as a way of ending perennial conflicts between crop and livestock farmers in the state.
The Council, while commending President Muhammadu Buhari, for the deployment of security personnel to checkmate banditry and terrorism in Benue and her sister states, called for increase in numerical and technical reinforcement for the security agencies to stimulate their performance.
The Council also commended the actions of the Nasarawa State Governor with the Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs in taking timely actions to arrest the killings of Tiv people and the destruction of their property in Nasarawa State.
However, the Tiv traditional Council appealed to the Nasarawa State Government to “Take necessary steps to facilitate the return of the Tiv people displaced due to the attacks to their homes by providing the needed relief and protection.
Prof Ayatse in the statement admonished all Tiv sons and daughters to close ranks and face the common security and economic challenges threatening them and continue to be law abiding even in the face of provocations against them.
On the forthcoming general elections, the Tiv Traditional Council warned against violence, thuggery, and other sharp practices during the electioneering campaigns and voting in the general elections.
The Tor Tiv also enjoined all Tiv sons and daughters to make themselves available to be counted during the national population census.
The Supreme Council then directed all traditional and religious leaders, party chieftains and elders to fully mobilize their people to fully cooperate with all the officials and staff of the National Population Commission during the exercise.”
In his address, Governor Ortom, expressed appreciation to the Tiv traditional Council for the full backing the traditional institution has given to his administration amidst the challenges.
He also lauded the traditional institution for the honorific chieftaincy title conferred on him and his wife and pledged to continue to fight for the interest of the Tiv nation.
**As thugs loyal to Abure unleash mayhem on LP protesters from Edo
There seem to be no end in sight for the crises in the Labour Party as the Edo State chapter has officially ratified the suspension of the National chairman of the party, Julius Abure.
This was contained in a correspondent to the National Headquarters of the party titled: Ratification. Of the suspension from the membership of Ward 3, Arue, Uromi, Esan North qEast LGA, Edo State.
The letter which was signed by the chairman and secretary of the state chapter of the party, Com. Ogbaloi K.S.E State Chairman and Com. Akhere Frederick respectively and was copied INEC.
The Letter reads,
“Here forwarded to you and for your notification, the ratification of the suspension of Comr Barr. Julius Abure from the membership of Ward 3, Arue, Uromi, Esan North East LGA. Edo State.
“The State Executive Council, Labour Party, Edo State, comprising of the State Working Committee, the 18 Local Government Chairmen and the 18 Local Government Secretaries met on the 24” of May, 2024, at about 11:00pm, to consider the matters presented on the suspension of Comr. Barr. Julius Abure by his Ward in Arue, Uromi, Esan North East LGA, and the upholding of the suspension by the LGA Excos.
“After clinical analysis of the accusation, the Council found them weighty and further ratified and upheld the suspension.
Meanwhile, Thugs suspected to be loyal to the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), on Monday unleashed mayhem on Protesters believed to be LP supporters from the Edo State chapter who were at the party National secretariat to demand Abure’s ouster.
The anti- Abure protesters stormed the party headquarters in a number of vehicles holding placards and chanting solidarity songs.
No sooner than some of the protesters stepped out of one of the vehicles than the suspected thugs swooped on the vehicles with sticks and other objects forcing the drivers to zoom off.
A detachment of armed policemen and operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) intervened when the thugs started throwing stones into the nearby Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, in pursuit of reporters who were convering the fracas.
The intervention of the security officials prevented the situation from further degenerating. A police vehicle is currently stationed in between the warring factions.
By our correspondent
The Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria (KYN) the umbrella body of Kuteb world wide has accused Gen. Theophilus Danjuma ((rtd) of deliberately distorting and inventing new history of Takum Chieftaincy to benefit his tribal people (Chamba)
Chief Emmanuel Ukwen, President General Kuteb Yantso of Nigeria stated this while addressing newsmen in Jalingo on Friday.
The accusation is coming after the recent appointment of HRH Bar. Sopiya Gboshi as chief of Takum who was presented with staff of office by Gov Agbu Kefas to succeed late Ukwe Ali Ibrahim kufang ll who died 28 years ago.
The Kuteb also accused Gen. Danjuma and his associates of making plans to demolish the Takum Central Mosque and the ancestral palace of Ukwe Takum which had been located behind the Mosque.
Chief Ukwen recalled the recent speech presented by Dajuma during the coronation of the newly appointed chief of Takum against the Kuteb and late Ukwe Takum Ali Ibrahim was unjust and unacceptable.
“It is a pity that TY Danjuma referred to late Ukwe Ali Ibrahim as a very bad and terrible chief on flimsy reasons because he was a Kuteb man and a Muslim.
Record have it that late Ukwe Ali ibrahim was an honest and peace loving leader who ruled over the people of Takum from 1963 to 1996 and was adjuged by all as a leader with fear of God.
“We have uncovered a sinister move by Danjuma and his cohorts to force the State Governor to demolish the Takum Central Mosque and the Ukwe Takum Palace which is located behind the Mosque under the guise of Urban development.
“We want the whole world to know that the graves of our late Ukwes who reigned and died are in the palace.
“Any attempt by Danjuma and his cohorts to desecrate the tombs of our fathers will amount to cultural genocide,” he said.
The Kuteb leader also accused Danjuma of preaching peace in the public while he has secretly instigated and funded many crisis in his hometown, Takum.
The very recent was the sponsoring of Fulanis to wipe out over 200 Kuteb villages preparatory to the forceful installation of a Chamba Chief inorder to weaken and silence the Kuteb people in Takum.
“The Kuteb through Ukwe Takum ruled Takum from 1510 to 1996 uninterrupted by any other tribe, how comes Danjuma is forging history that the Kutebs are people from the hills? Ukwen questioned.
Meanwhile, Gen. Danjuma during the convocation of the Chief of Takum described the Kuteb people as troublesome and urged the State Governor, Kefas Agbu to be careful with the Kuteb people.
Forefront recalls that Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria shortly after the appointment of the new chief of Takum, vowed not to recognise the newly crowned chief Sopiya Gboshi from Chamba tribe.
The Kutebs vehemently vowed not to recognise the new Chief and would exhaust every legal means to recover their ancestral stool.
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.
Kogi State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the death of five persons in a fatal auto crash on Kabba-Obajana road in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of the state.
The State Sector Commander, Samuel Oyedeji, who confirmed the accident and death of the five to newsmen on Thursday in Lokoja said three others survived the accident with serious injuries.
Oyedeji attributed the accident which involved a Ford Galaxy space wagon and a Mazda car, to speeding and wrongful overtaking.
“The head-on collision between the two cars moving in the opposite directions happened due to speeding and wrongful overtaking by one of the drivers.
“We have been preaching against drivers flouting road safety rules and regulations, yet these motorists hardly heed our warnings.
“Five persons lost their lives in the fatal accident that left three others seriously injured,” he said.
The Sector Commander said that officers from the command immediately carried out a rescue operation at the scene of the accident and rushed the three injured persons to General Hospital, Kabba for medical attention.
Oyedeji said the remains of the five dead persons were also deposited at the mortuary of the Kabba General Hospital.
The Kogi Sector Commander admonished motorists to always endeavour to always obey road safety rules and regulations to avoid fatal auto crashes on the highways. (Ends)
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