Benue State Government has threatened that it would seize the land causing a war between the Mbaivur and Mbasombo communities in the Ikpayongo axis of the Gwer-East Local Government Area if they don’t sheath their swords.
Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr Hyacinth Dajoh, disclosed this when he met with stakeholders from the two communities in Makurdi, the state capital.
The speaker has also ordered security agents to intervene and ensure that anyone of whatever status found sponsoring or causing trouble in the area is brought to book.
Dajoh appealed to the people to sheathe their swords and allow peace to reign.
He has also ordered President Generals of the Masev Development Association in Mbasombo and Mbaivur as well as Ter Gwer to appear before him within five days from Thursday, to resolve the crisis between the two communities.
The speaker called for an immediate ceasefire between the two communities and told the president generals of Mbasombo and Mbaivur to initiate a process towards withdrawing all pending litigations regarding the land within five days to pave the way for the resolution of the problems.
”If you fail to resolve the crisis, the Benue government will take over the disputed land and send all occupants out,” the speaker warned.
The president general of the Mbaivur development association, Mr Atime Ikyo, thanked the state government for taking steps to end the five-year-old crisis.
”I will go back home and inform my people about the resolutions. I promise to do anything in my power to end the crisis,” he said
The Mbaivur/Mbasombo crisis was triggered off due to a dispute over land between the neighbouring communities that have lingered for five years. All measures by the previous government including the suspension of the traditional rulers of both communities failed to rest the crisis.
