A group, Omi Nyi’ Igede Youth Development Association worldwide (ONYWDA) has appealed to Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, to investigate the killing of a newly wedded man and one other while en-route to Makurdi via Awajir-Oju Road.

The appeal is contained in a statement by its President, Cletus Aruta, on Tuesday in Lafia.

Mr Aruta said that the deceased, Uko Jonathan-Ogah, who got married last Saturday and Ogoda Gabriel, both members of ONYWDA and indigenes of Oju Local Government Area, were killed at Ulam axis of Gwer East LGA of Benue State by suspected militias while en route to Makurdi.

The statement said that innocent Igede people plying Awajir-Oju Road had been victims of attacks in the last four months due to communal clashes between Mbiese Community of Gwer East and Ugambe Community of Konshisha LGAs.

The statement read in part, “It may interest you to know that over the last four months, innocent Igede people using Awajir-Oju Road have been severely tormented, harassed, and extorted heavily by these militias on a daily basis to use the road. In most instances, they turned them back to use other routes where the militias mount several ambushes and checkpoints as a result of the ongoing communal clashes.

“We are hereby appealing to Governor Hyacinth Alia to facilitate the deployment of three to four army checkpoints on the road with the view to end the crisis. We also appeal to the commissioner of police in Benue State, to immediately deploy mobile police force to the area to arrest the militias.’’

It sought a full-scale investigation into the killings to bring the perpetrators to face the full wrath of the law.

The group, while sending condolences to the families and the entire Igede nation, urged the youth to show and not to take the law into their own hands.

(NAN)