By OBOH LINUS

A group, Omi Nyi’ Igede Youth Development Association worldwide (ONYWDA), has appealed to Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State to investigate the killing of a newly-wed man and one other, while en-route to Makurdi via Awajir-Oju Road.

The appeal is contained in a statement issued by its President, Mr. Cletus Aruta, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lafia.

Aruta said that the deceased, Uko Jonathan-Ogah, who got married last Saturday, and Ogoda Gabriel, both members of ONYWDA and indigenes of Oju Local Government Area, were killed at the Ulam axis of Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State by suspected militia while en route to Makurdi.

The statement said that innocent Igede people plying Awajir-Oju Road have been victims of attacks in the last four months due to communal clashes between Mbiese Community of Gwer East and Ugambe Community of Konshisha LGAs.

The statement read in parts: “It may interest you to know that over the last four months, innocent Igede people using Awajir-Oju Road have been severely tormented, harassed, and extorted heavily by these militias on a daily basis to use the road.

“In most instances, they turned them back to use other routes where the militia mounts several ambush and checkpoints as a result of the ongoing communal clashes.

“We are hereby appealing to Gov. Hyacinth Alia to facilitate the deployment of three to four Army checkpoints on the road with the view to end the crisis.

“We also appeal to the Commissioner of Police in Benue, to immediately deploy mobile police force to the area to arrest the militias.

“We want a full-scale investigation into this dastardly act immediately and to bring the perpetrators to face the full wrath of the law.”

The group, while sending condolences to the families and the entire Igede nation, urged the youth to exercise restraint so as not to take the law into their own hands. (NAN)