Prince Aondona Isaka Ornguga, a former Senior Special Assistant to ex-governor Samuel Ortom on Local Government Administration, has revealed the devastating loss of 23 family members in the recent attacks in Benue State.
Ornguga initially reported on Facebook that he had lost over 15 family members but later updated that the total had risen to 23 casualties, all from his maternal lineage, following the Yelewata attack.
In his social media post, he questioned the official death toll figures, stating: "My family alone lost over 23 members and our governor is claiming that only 59 died. What is the governor hiding from us?"
Personal Connections to the Victims
The former government official shared heartbreaking details about two of his first cousins who were killed in the attack. "I spoke with two of the victims – Victor Utim and Mathew Iormba – about three weeks ago. They are my first cousins from Tse Tarbee, my mother's village," he revealed.
Ornguga explained that Utim had recently taken the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination, and they were working on securing his university admission before the tragedy struck. Meanwhile, Iormba was a pharmacist with promising career prospects.
"Iormba had a tall dream, but look at how it all ended for them. And for Utim, this is not what we discussed," Ornguga lamented, expressing his profound grief over the unfulfilled potential of these young lives.
Conflicting Death Toll Reports
The incident has sparked controversy regarding the actual number of casualties. While Governor Alia's administration reported 59 deaths, the Nigerian federal government has contradicted this figure, suggesting that over 200 people were killed in the attacks.
This discrepancy has raised concerns among affected families and communities about transparency in reporting the full scale of the tragedy.
Ongoing Security Concerns
The recent killings have intensified calls for improved security measures in Benue State. Governor Alia has suggested that the attacks might be reprisals, echoing President Tinubu's earlier statement on the matter.
There are also emerging claims that foreign terrorists, not just herders, may be behind the violence, further complicating the security situation in the region.
Various religious and civil society groups, including the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), have demanded urgent security intervention to protect lives and livelihoods in the affected communities.
As Benue State mourns these losses, Ornguga's personal tragedy highlights the human cost of the ongoing insecurity in Nigeria's Middle Belt region.
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