News of violence is seeping out of Benue State in central Nigeria again. This time, it is that of Chief Dr. Terkura Suswan, elder brother to Senator Gabriel Suswan, a former Governor of Benue State.
He was killed by unidentified gunmen along with someone else who has not been identified.
Tit bits about Chief Suswam are that he was until his death the 2nd Class Chief of Logo Local Government Area as well as the Managing Director of Ashiwave FM 99.9 and a rice mill by name Ashrice.
Senator Gabriel Suswan, former governor of Benue State
There are no official statements yet but folk reasoning is putting the action at the foot of militants said to be linked to the late kingpin, Terwase Agwaza, aka Gana who was killed by troops on September 9th, 2020 on his way to Makurdi for a Benue State Government organised peace effort.
This violence is bound to send a shock wave throughout Benue State and Nigeria as well because of the big names involved and the status of the victim – the senior brother of a former governor of the state who is not only active in politics but, in fact, a serving Senator.
It will also throw further light and confirm the nature of violence around the state.
But it leaves the question as to whether the senior citizens of the state are going to ever arrive at consensus to pull the state from the grip of violence.
The political economy of the area does not warrant any form of violence. With a predominantly peasant farming population, devoid of any functional industries, there do not appear to be the basis of violence. Yet, violence has been the bane of the state since early 2016 following the herdsmen attack on Agatu in early 2016 and the 2018 New Year day mass killing by suspected herdsmen.
But violence in the state also goes beyond herdsmen as many towns, villages and even hamlets are under siege in one form or the other. Only the leaders can sanitise the place because, on the long run, no one is safe.
