The Nigeria Union of Journalists, Benue Council, has condemned in strong terms killings, kidnappings and arson in the state.
It was particular about the insecurity situation in Logo, Katsina-Ala, Ukum, Ado and Agatu Local Government Areas of the state.
This is contained in a communique issued to newsmen on Saturday in Makurdi by the drafting committee, Ioravaa Atachin, Grace Ityosaa and Ephraim Hemben, from the council’s congress on Wednesday.
The communique urged the government to quickly address the detoriorating situation to save lives and property.
It said: “These state of affairs can be traced to the attitudes of some politicians who had in the past armed the youth during elections to help them rig.
“These arms were not retrieved from the youth after the elections and they became easy recruits to those promoting communal crises for their selfish reasons.
“The congress, therefore, calls on the state government to summon a meeting and invite political leaders, traditional rulers and representatives of the militia groups to find lasting solutions to the problem.’’
The NUJ council further called on the state government to revisit its amnesty programme which it initiated at the inception of the present administration.
It stated: “This will go a long way to ensure that arms that are in wrong hands are retrieved and those that may be disarmed are given legitimate means of livelihood as well as encouraged to abandon crime.’’
According to the communique, the council stressed the need for increased public enlightenment on peaceful coexistence among Benue communities.
It further called on the Benue State Government to strengthen its partnership with the media in the state toward achieving absolute peace.
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