ABUJA. – A professional group, Forum Of Tyoshin Academics (FoTA) has cried out over the relentless killing and displacement of their people in Tyoshin Land, Gwer West LGA of Benue State.
The group claimed that since 2011 till date, it has lost over 511 lives to this relentless onslaught by the marauding armed Fulani herdsmen in the state.
The group also alerted the government and the security agencies that nine council wards of the Gwer-West Local Government Area have already been taken over and occupied by these ruthless attackers.
This was made known to newsmen in a statement, on Saturday titled; “A Cry for Help: The Darkest Days for Tyoshin Land, Gwer West LGA of Benue State,” signed by the duo of Prof. Patrick Iyorwuese Ukase, National President and Prof. John Ajai, National Publicity Secretary.
According to the statement; “Tyoshin land is bleeding, its cries drowned in the deafening silence of indifference. Our villages, our homes, and our very existence have been under siege for too long.
“Nine council wards of the Gwer-West Local Government Area have already fallen into the hands of these ruthless attackers.
“Once again, the people of Tyoshin were today visited with another blood bath. Today marks another day of mourning, another black day etched in the hearts of our community.
“The relentless wave of violence continues as suspected Fulani armed herders have, once more, unleashed terror on our people—this time along the Naka-Makurdi Road.
“The lives of five innocent souls, desperately taken to a clinic for treatment, have tragically slipped away, their cries unheard. Others lie in agony, fighting for their lives, yet the true number of those attacked remains unknown.”
While giving the historic perspective of the unprovoked attacks on the communities over the years, the statement revealed that; “Since 2011, the toll of this violence has been staggering. Between 2011 and 2017, 192 sons and daughters of Tyoshin were gruesomely murdered by herders.
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“From 2018 to 2023, the numbers escalated, with 302 more lives lost in the area. This year alone, 17 individuals have been mercilessly hacked down by these herders. These figures do not include those who have disappeared and have not been seen since 2011.
“In all, we have lost over 511 lives to this relentless onslaught.
“Tyoshin land is bleeding, its cries drowned in the deafening silence of indifference. Our villages, our homes, and our very existence have been under siege for too long.
“Today’s tragedy is but a grim continuation of a war that has ravaged our land, leaving us shattered and broken. Just days ago, the blood of our brothers and sisters was spilt in Camp-Nagi, Mbachohon, where three more were brutally murdered.”
The statement further blamed those elected to protect the citizens for their deafening silence in the face of these killings.
It also indicated that, troops stationed in the areas to provide security often look the other way round while armed herdsmen continue to attack, kill and displace innocent civilians.
It reads; “Yet, in the face of this terror, the silence from those sworn to protect us is deafening. The Tyoshin people are abandoned and forsaken by the very government that should shield them. The Federal Government and the Benue State Government remain disturbingly quiet, their inaction a haunting reminder of how alone we truly are.
“Even the military presence, meant to offer protection, stands idle as the bloodbath continues. Our people fall, one by one, as these attackers roam freely, unchallenged and unafraid.
“How much longer will we endure this pain? How many more must die before our cries are heard? How many villages must be razed, and how many lives must be destroyed before the world recognizes the suffering of Tyoshin’s land? We are a people on the brink of extinction, and yet, our pleas remain unanswered.
“To the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and to the Governor of Benue State, His Excellency, Rev Dr. Iormen Alia: we beg you, we plead with you—come to our rescue.
“The people of Tyoshin are being wiped off the face of the earth. We do not ask for pity; we ask for justice, protection, and the right to live in our homeland without the constant fear of death. Do not let Tyoshin become a memory. Act now, before it is too late.”
