Thugs Abduct Mortuary Attendant, Disrupt Mass Burial in Benue

Residents of Tyungu Jam and Mbaav communities in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State were thrown into shock on Thursday when families of victims of a bandit attack were denied access to their bodies while preparing for a mass burial.
It was gathered that the families, who had gathered at the mortuary to retrieve the corpses, were stunned when the mortuary attendant was reportedly abducted.

Bandits had last Thursday invaded Tyungu Jam and Mbaav communities in Yaav and Mbadura Council wards of Kwande Local Government Area, killing several people and injuring many others.
The state governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, in a statement issued through his media aide, Solomon Iorpev, described the killings as “senseless and barbaric” and urged security operatives to apprehend the attackers.
Some families who could not immediately bury their loved ones had fixed Thursday for the burial but were reportedly shocked on arrival at the morgue to collect the bodies.
Eleven victims of the bandit attack were scheduled for a mass burial on Thursday, attracting people and priests from within and outside the state.
However, some thugs were said to have invaded the hospital and abducted the mortuary attendant, preventing families from accessing the bodies for burial.
Condemning the disruption of the mass burial, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state described the incident as disgraceful.
In a statement issued by the party’s State Publicity Secretary, Daniel Ihomun, the APC alleged that the disruption was sponsored.
The statement read in part: “We have received disturbing reports that sponsored thugs abducted a mortuary attendant, Mr. MT Tiga, and sealed his mortuary facility in a desperate attempt to prevent the people of Turan from carrying out a mass burial for the victims who were killed in Mbachoon, Yaav District of Turan in Kwande Local Government Area.
“This barbaric act is not only inhumane but also an assault on the fundamental right of a community to mourn and bury their dead with dignity. The people of Turan have every right to determine how they lay their loved ones to rest and to draw the attention of the world to the ongoing suffering and systematic killings being perpetrated against them by armed Fulani bandits.
“It is deeply troubling that in the face of relentless attacks and loss of lives, the people are now being denied even the basic humanity of burying their dead. One must ask: can the people not even be allowed to bury their dead in peace?
“While we commiserate with the grieving families and the entire Turan community over this painful tragedy, we commend Mr. Alex Barbir, who travelled all the way from the United States of America to stand in solidarity with the people, witness the burial, and support efforts to bring the story of the Benue genocide to the international community, as well as assist in rebuilding homes destroyed by the attackers.”
The party also expressed appreciation to Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo of Plateau State, who was reported to have officiated at the mass burial, and appealed to the state government to immediately investigate “the abduction of the mortuary attendant, the sealing of the mortuary, and the harassment of the Turan community.”
Also condemning the incident, the President General of Mdzough U Tiv Worldwide and retired Comptroller General of Prisons, Iorbee Ihagh, described the situation as shameful.
Ihagh, who hails from Turan in Kwande LGA, said, “I don’t know why anybody should be against the burial of people who were victims of Fulani herdsmen.
“It’s very shameful because people came from far away, even outside the country. The mortuary attendant was not seen and the place was locked. The people wanted to force the place open but the priest advised them not to do that.”
When contacted, the Chairman of Kwande Local Government Area, Neji Terhile, said those mobilising for the mass burial did not take into account the volatile security situation in the area.
The chairman said that as at the time he spoke with journalists on Friday, he was on his way to the community with officials of Homeland Security and other government agencies.
While urging caution and warning against politicising the situation, he added that some of the victims of the attack had already been buried.
He said, “I am sure you are aware that these people slept in their houses and Fulanis came and attacked them. Now, in a community where Fulanis are carrying out attacks, you are mobilising for a mass burial — is it not a death trap they are inviting?” (The PUNCH)