A renewed land dispute between communities in Benue and Cross River states has led to the killing of a commercial driver, Agage Iorkyaa Ternenge, in a border community between Vandeikya and Obudu local government areas.
Ternenge, a native of Mbanyam in Mbatyough Council Ward, Vandeikya LGA, Benue State, was reportedly attacked and stoned to death on Friday while attempting to deliver a waybill in Obudu, Cross River State. A video circulating on social media shows a group of hoodlums violently stoning the victim to death.
According to sources, tensions between the Mbazarem community in Benue and the Abonkip community in Cross River flared up again on July 18, reviving a longstanding land conflict between the two border communities.
Dennis Kuda, Chairman of Vandeikya LGA, confirmed the incident in a statement released on Sunday by his media aide, Gbaa Nguuma. Kuda disclosed that he narrowly escaped being shot during a fact-finding mission to the disputed area.
“Gunfire erupted from the Abonkip side early Friday,” the statement read. “Despite being under fire, the chairman and a joint team of the local security outfit Anyam Nyor and other operatives proceeded to assess the situation and observed the destruction of crops worth millions of naira on the Benue side.”
Kuda noted that reprisal attacks by Abonkip youths escalated over the weekend. Armed groups reportedly paraded Obudu streets, targeting Tiv residents, including students of the Federal College of Education and School of Nursing, as well as traders and businesspeople.
In response, Kuda said he led a rescue operation with the support of security agencies, evacuating Benue indigenes from Obudu, many of whom had taken refuge at the local police station. He added that, to prevent retaliation, Obudu residents in volatile parts of Benue were also safely returned and handed over to the Divisional Police Officer of Obudu.
“Tragically, Ternenge, a commercial driver on the Gboko–Obudu route, was lynched by Abonkip youths in Obudu Township while delivering a waybill,” the statement confirmed.
Police authorities in Benue confirmed that both chairmen of Vandeikya and Obudu LGAs have met and are working on resolving the crisis.
Comment: according to the meting held by the two people sharing bandries the war by the tiv peoples is main to be worst.