Army chief vows crackdown on killer herdsmen in Benue state

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai,
on Thursday ordered criminal elements parading
themselves as herdsmen to leave Benue State
before the army launches another attack against
them.
Buratai, who gave the order on the occasion of a
cocktail party and command performance held in
his honour at the Banquet Hall of Benue People's
House, on Thursday said the next action against
the criminal elements would be devastating.
He said the military would not relent until total
peace was restored to Benue. He also announced
that a commander had been posted to head the
new brigade in the state.
'We will do our best to ensure that the prevailing
peaceful atmosphere here is maintained', Buratai
said.
He explained that the Commandant of the
Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering, the
Commander of the 72 Special Forces Battalion,
the Provost of the Naval School of Logistics and
the Brigade Commander would all coordinate the
provision of security in Benue. He reiterated that
criminals no longer have hiding places in the
state.
Buratai said, ''Many serving and retired military
officers from Benue State have been my mentors.
I can tell you that the Special Adviser to Governor
Samuel Ortom on Security Matters, Col. Edwin
Jando (retd.), was the person who influenced my
military career most.
He explained that he was among the 10 military
officers posted to Angola by Jando and that he,
Buratai, who had served as the former colonel's
adjutant, was one of the two officers that finally
remained in Angola to serve in the peace mission.
'I would have left the military some years ago but
a Benue man stood behind me and said I did not
commit any offence,' he added.
The chief of army staff said, 'Generals Kwambe,
Kwembe and Orokpo have also been of great help
to him and respectively described Generals Akem
and Ode as the engine rooms of administration
and invention in the army.'
He said the title, 'Warrior and Protector of Benue
People' given to him by Governor Samuel Ortom
in recognition of his peace efforts made the state
his second home, pointing out that some of the
cultural dances showed that Borno and Benue had
cultural affiliation.
Earlier, the Acting Secretary to the Benue State
Government, Dr. Bem Melladu, who represented
Governor Ortom at the event, had said in every
Benue home, there was either a serving or a
retired military man.
Melladu also said much has been done by the
military under Buratai. He therefore said, 'We are
proud of you.'
He assured Buratai that Benue State would
continue to support military formations to enable
them perform optimally.
Some water projects which would be of benefit to
residents of the area in future were commissioned
at the barracks located there.