By Amos Aar
SOME pressure groups from Igede-speaking people in Oju LGA of Benue State on Monday matched to Makurdi, the state capital, on a mission to appeal to Governor Hyacinth Alia to intervene in the lingering bloody dispute by demarcating the boundary between Bonta and Ukpute communities in Konshisha and Oju LGAs respectively.
The groups, numbering five, made the appeal to the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Governor Alia on Youth Mobilisation and Empowerment/State Youth Leader, Hon. Mkeenem Moses, pleading that he should on their behalf appeal to the governor to demarcate the boundary between the two warring neighbours – Bonta in Konshisha and Ukpute Oju – in order to end the incessant violent crisis.
The groups include Igede National Youth Organisation, Igede Medical Association, Igede Women Organisation, Igede Media Crew, amongst others.
Led by Igede Youth National President, Mr Andyson Iji Egbodo, the groups said they decided to send the message to the governor through his aide having believed that only the demarcation would proffer lasting solution to the Bonta-Ukpute land dispute.
On her part, a legal practitioner, Mrs Jane Otor, opined that the government should first work “swiftly” on ascertaining the boundary between the two communities, pleading with the Alia-led administration to be intentional about settling “the mixed crisis” of the youths of Ukpute and Bonta areas.
Responding, the state youth leader, Hon. Mkeenem Moses, who received the representatives of the groups promised to deliver their message accordingly to his principal, governor Hyacinth Alia.
