The paramount ruler of the Tiv nation, Tor Tiv, Prof James Ayatse, has described the latest killings and disruption of public order in the Ayati community of Ukum LGA in Benue State, as barbaric, shocking, and traumatising.
This was even as residents of Ayati at the weekend decried fresh threats by local bandits to burn down every house in the community.
This is even as the death toll rose from 30 earlier reported on Friday to 37 following an attack launched on the community by the bandits.
Ayatse in a statement by his media aide, Freddie Adamgbe, noted that despite untiring efforts over the years from community leaders, government and the Tiv Area Traditional Council (TATC) to contain the carnage in the Sankera axis, it continued with the latest incident involving dozens of people murdered in cold blood.
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He said the incident was indeed depressing and that he has been mourning since the news broke, wondering why external forces have kept on sponsoring and murdering people in collaboration with local misguided elements of the area that have sold themselves to evil and are complicit in killing their very kith and kin.
The Tor Tiv said that even with the latest initiative of Sankera sons and daughters who have had peace meetings and working for peace to return to the area for the overall development, the perpetrators still carried on their heinous acts as he urged that no one should feel dampened over the incident to give up.
The royal father condemned the attack and commiserated with direct victims of the attacks and killings, as well as their families, and many that are currently displaced and are living in fear and uncertainty.
He restated the commitment of the TATC, working in cooperation and partnership with the government, to bring peace to all parts of Tiv land, but warned the youths that are being used by local and external sponsors that the wrath of the traditional authority would be fully evoked against them, and anyone directly or complicit in the unending killings in both Ayati and across his domain.
Meanwhile, a resident of Ayati, Shima Ayati, who is a political figure from the area has appealed to the government to send security operatives to the community over fresh threats by the outlaws to burn the entire village.
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