‘Help Us Return Home’ – 90-year-old Begs Buhari From Benue IDP Camp

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90 year old Damsa Utur wants President Buhari to help him and his family return home. Damsa who spoke as he fought back tears, said herdsmen slaughtered his 50 year old son Shior at his farm early January when they struck at Tse-Ukpam village. According to him, “it was few days into the new year, when herdsmen came to our village in the morning when most of our people had gone to the farm.

“They came shooting sporadically and living anything or person they saw they shot or butchered with their knives. My son was one of those they killed he was in the farm that morning with his children. While my grandchildren escaped, my son was no so lucky. They caught up with him and beheaded him. “When we all managed to escape I later realized that my son was killed with several others they caught. My world was almost coming to an end but I summoned courage and ensured that I retrieved his corpse and gave him the burial he deserved. “I had thought that my first son would bury me because I’m almost at my exit point, but herdsmen took him away when I needed him most. “I am a helpless man but God is my source of strength.

I am only begging President Muhammadu Buhari to come to our aid by availing us some form of compensation. Our homes and farms have been destroyed and our communities have been taken over by herdsmen. “All we desire now is to go back to our villages. We cannot continue to live like this.

I want to return to my village with my family so that my children and grandchildren can go back to school and also engage in farming because this place is obviously not convenient for anyone despite the effort of state government and other groups who help us in the camp.” “You can also see that my wife of over 60 years is disabled and staying here is not helping her condition no matter the assistance we get for daily survival.” the nonagenarian said as he fought back tears.

On her part, 68 year old widow, Mbafan Kwagh who said she escaped miraculously with her 12 children and grandchildren from Torkula village   recalled her ordeal stressing that she survived with her children through the mercy of God.