A mortuary attendant at NKST Hospital located at Jato Aka, headquarters of Kwande Local Government of Benue State, MT Tiga, was on Thursday abducted by thugs who wanted to prevent a planned mass burial for the victims of bandit attack on Tyungu Jam and Mbaav communities.
Saturday PUNCH gathered that the abduction prevented families of the victims from access to the corpses which had been deposited at the mortuary as there was no official to attend to them.
Bandits had invaded Tyungu Jam and Mbaav in Yaav and Mbadura Council wards of Kwande LG on March 5, killing several people and injuring many others.
The State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, described the killings as “senseless and barbaric” in a statement issued by his media aide, Solomon Iorpev, and called on security operatives to apprehend the attackers.
Saturday PUNCH gathered that 11 victims were scheduled for mass burial on Thursday, an event that had drawn people and priests from within and outside the state.
However, the process was disrupted when some thugs allegedly invaded the hospital, abducted the mortuary attendant, and sealed the mortuary, denying families access to the bodies.
Condemning the disruption, the All Progressives Congress in Benue described the act as disgraceful and alleged it was sponsored.
In a statement issued by the state publicity secretary, Daniel Ihomun, the party said, “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 attention to the ongoing suffering and systematic killings being perpetrated against them by armed Fulani bandits.
“While we commiserate with the grieving families and the entire Turan community, we commend Mr. Alex Barbir, who travelled from the United States to stand in solidarity with the people, witness the burial, and support efforts to tell the story of the Benue genocide to the international community.”
Similarly, the President-General of Mdzough U Tiv Worldwide, retired Comptroller General of Prisons, Iorbee Ihagh, described the incident as shameful.
“It is very shameful. People came from far away, even outside the country, but the mortuary attendant was not seen and the place was locked. The people wanted to force the mortuary open, but the priest said they should not do that,” Ihagh said.
When contacted, Chairman of Kwande LG, Neji Terhile, said those mobilising for the mass burial did not consider the volatility of the area.
He added that some victims had already been buried.
“You are aware that these people slept in their houses and were attacked by Fulanis. Mobilizing a mass burial in such a community is a death trap,” the chairman said.
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