Worried by the spate of reported cases of armed robbery, kidnapping, murder, rape and other criminal activities in their land, the Shitile people of Katsina-Ala local government area of Benue State, have called on the state Governor Samuel Ortom to grant Amnesty to repentant criminals in the State.
The appeal was contained in a communique issued at the end of a peace meeting held by stakeholders to seek solution to the menace.
According to them, the Governor’s amnesty programme during his first term started yielding fruitful results, as the people were living relatively peacefully in their land before the scheme was scuttled.
The meeting, authorized by the Governor, was held at Tor Donga -the headquarters of Shitile with prominent sons and daughters of Shitile nation in attendance.
Among the key stakeholders at the meeting were: Rt Hon. Mzenda Iho, Ambassador Chive Kaave, Hon. Jonathan Agbidyeh, Rt Hon Ianna Jato, Hon. Jonathan Lahave, Dr. Peteru Inunduh, Hon. Augustine Avaan, Hon. Dickson Orlu Powa, Barr. Sekulla Nyior and DCG Denen Akaa (Rtd), among others.
Speaking at the meeting, the stakeholders sued for peace and unity among all Shitile sons and daughters just as they sought an end to the criminal cases in the land.
The stakeholders condemned, in strong terms, the criminal acts, saying enough is enough.
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The meeting, however, observed that there are other suspected criminals operating in Shitile land and its surrounding environs who are not of Shitile extraction. They warned such criminal visitors to vacate their land immediately.
In the communique signed by 20 of the key stakeholders, the Shitile community pleaded with Governor Ortom to grant amnesty to repentant criminals in Benue State, particularly from their land, who will surrender arms and embrace the governor’s carrot offer.
It was gathered at the meeting that many innocent persons in the area, including travelers, have been gruesomely killed and their properties and cash plundered by these hoodlums.
“Even Shitile people who are their brothers/parents are not spared. Our local markets can no longer function effectively. The social and economic life of all of us have been negatively affected by these heinous crimes.
“In this regard, the stakeholders are to hold indoor talks with the youth for the purpose of curtailing criminal acts in the area, for lasting peace to prevail.
The Shitile stakeholders also tendered apologies for the crimes of their children and pledged their unalloyed and unflinching loyalty to President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Samuel Ortom and Hon. Alfred Avalumun Atera, who is the Chairman of Katsina-Ala Local Government Council.
The Shitile community also set up a committee to spearhead the implementation of the peace building programme with the mandate to communicate, in writing, the resolutions of the meeting to Governor Ortom, the Tor Tiv Prof. James Ayatse, Sen. Gabriel Torwua Suswam and Hon. Alfred Avalumun Atera, Executive Chairman of Katsina-Ala Local Government Council.
Member, Benue State House of Assembly, Shitile Constituency, Jonathan Agbidyeh who facilitated the meeting pledged the stakeholders support to the Governor’s peace and security programmes saying peace is the prerequisite for development.
