By Amos Aar
THE renewed crisis over land between Mbaivur and Mbasombo communities in Gwer East LGA of Benue State has claimed the life of a young businessman, Mr Terkula Tyowua, an indigene of Mbasombo.
Two sources from Mbasombo who pleaded anonymity told National Record on phone that armed militia from Mbaivur community kidnapped Terkula Tyowua from his farm on Monday, July 31, 2023 and later killed him after they allegedly transferred over N2 million from his bank account.
“Nobody from Mbasombo went to Mbaivur for attack. After they kidnapped Terkula, transferred about two point something million naira from his account and killed him, they still came to Ikpayongu main town the next day on motorcycles and started shooting sporadically. But the mobile police officers deployed to Ikpayongu for peace keeping answered them and they withdrew back the same day.
“But Mbaivur militiamen are still laying siege on the farms of Mbasombo people with sophisticated weapons for attack”.
Asked what was the source of money of the murdered Terkula Tyowua that he had such a huge amount of money in his bank account and how they knew that the money was transfered even as the victim did not come back alive with his phone, the source explained that Terkula owned a daily money contribution business and was head of a hospital established by his late mother at Ikpayongu.
“Whatever they do to our people, they call us and tell us. So, they told us on phone that they transferred the money which was found to be true when confirmed.
“When they phoned us that they had killed Terkula, we informed the police who went there and carried his corpse which they deposited in a mortuary at Ikpayongu,” he added.
However, Daniel Nor from Mbaivur alleged that Mbasombo people first attacked Mbakaha clan of Mbaivur during which Terkula Tyowua “was caught.
Fielding questions on how the fresh crisis started, Nor claimed, “they attacked Mbakaha, from Mbakaha reaching to Mbakume, they were countered by Mbakume youth. That was when the guy was caught”.
But a neutral source who is a non-Tiv businessman at Ikpayongu market hinted National Record on condition of anonymity that, Mbasombo did not go to war against Mbaivur before the latter struck.
“Since Governor Hyacinth Alia and the speaker came here at separate times and spoke with the warring brothers to drop their arms against each other, Mbasombo people have never attacked Mbaivur to the best of my knowledge”, the source submitted.
Benue State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Superintendent of Police (SP) Sewuese Anene, did not respond to questions by National Record since Wednesday to confirm the alleged killing of Terkula Tyowua.
National Record observes that the Mbaivur -Mbasombo crisis which has been lingering since 2020 has taken a criminal dimension as people are targeted and robbed before they are killed while women are still being trailed for rape on their farms despite an order by the Benue State government, prohibiting the heinous and barbaric act.
It can be recalled that following a recent protest by Mbasombo women along Makurdi-Aliade road that they were being raped on their farms by Mbaivur militia, the speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Hon. Aondona Dajoh, gave directives that Mbaivur’s land would be confiscated by the state government and their prominent sons sacked from state jobs should they continue with such attacks.
Findings by National Record however revealed that, although series of attacks have taken place after the speaker threatened the drastic decisions, the punitive measures have not been melted on the perpetrators hence the crisis situation has aggravated.
