21 Killed In Attacks On Benue Communities By Suspected Fulani Herdsmen

Separate attacks on Benue communities
by suspected Fulani herdsmen claimed
21 lives over the weekend. The Benue communities that were
attacked include Apera, Gberija, Tse Pilla,
Uchagh, Ukaha, Atenger, Agema and
Agule in Guma where six persons were
killed while another 15 were killed at
Oguchi-Ankpa in Agatu local government area by the invaders. A source from Guma local government
council said, “They marched into our
villages from Awe in Nasarawa State and
passed through Damko before invading
and burning down eight villages in Guma
local government. “Unfortunately, the herdsmen stormed
the affected villages when most men had
gone to their farms and since we
thought that the persistent crisis had
been settled by both the Benue and
Nasarawa state governments, we were not prepared for the surprise attack. “They killed six of our people who were
mostly women, because they were at
home preparing meals for their
husbands and children who had gone to
their farms at the time of the attack. “Several persons were seriously injured
while many are still missing as at today
and no one has a clue as to their
whereabouts. “In fact this latest attack has brought to
the fore the need for both the Benue
and Nasarawa state governments to
take a closer look at overhauling the
security apparatus operating on the
border between the two states,” he said. Meanwhile, Benue State Governor Gabriel
Suswam has charged the people of the
state to be vigilant and report suspicious
movements in the communities to
security agencies, following the weekend
invasion of Benue communities by suspected Fulani herdsmen. Speaking yesterday at the Catholic
Church, Oshigbudu after inspecting the
damage at Enogaje, one of the
communities earlier attacked by the
marauders, Suswam urged the people to
“be security conscious and report suspicious movements to the relevant
security agencies”.

Two Suspected Armed Robbers Arrested In Benue

Two suspected armed men with a large
cache of arms have been arrested by the
Benue State Police Command. The armed men who were alleged to have in
recent time been terrorizing Kwande,
Vandeikya and Ushongo local government
areas of the state were nabbed following a
tip off. Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adams Audu,
while parading the suspects at the
Command headquarters in Makurdi, said,
the gang was arrested at their operational
base and hideout at Tsemke village,
Vandeikya while preparing for an operation. According to him, the gang had been
responsible for grave robbery and killings in
that area of the state, adding that three
members of the gang however, escaped
during an exchange of gunfire with his men. Audu said, “today (last Wednesday) at about
11:30 hours, a team of Police Patrol
Officers while on duty at Vandeikya
received a distress call that a gang of armed
robbers was in their hide out at Tsemke
village preparing to strike their victims. “The patrol officers stormed the area, and
on arriving at the scene, they were greeted
with a heavy gunfire by the suspected
armed men, and during the exchange of
gunfire, Messrs Terkimbi Msuega and
Aondohemba Tyo were arrested while three others escaped. My men also recovered
from the gang, one AK-47 rifle with 30
rounds of live ammunition; one FMC rifle
with 18 rounds of live ammunition. “Also recovered were one pump action rifle
with seven rounds of live cartridges; 12
empty shells of expended ammunition, five
extra magazines with 150 rounds of live
ammunition and one blue Volkswagen
Sharon bus with registration number Benue, WNN 59 XA.” Audu therefore asked for the co-operation
of members of the public to enable his
command achieve its set targets. While hinting that his men were on the trail
of the other three fleeing suspects, Mr.
Audu called for vigilance and urged the
people of the state to avail the police of
information that would lead to their arrest.

33 Feared Dead As Fulani Herdsmen, Farmers Clash Again In Benue

At least 33 persons were feared dead in a
fresh outbreak of fighting between
suspected Fulani herdsmen and native
farmers in Agatu Local Government Area of
Benue State. According to eyewitnesses, the crisis which
erupted Saturday and lasted till yesterday,
led to the death of some who burnt beyond
recognition. Over 30 houses and huts were
also razed, including several farmlands and
fish ponds owned by the natives. “The Fulani herdsmen had invaded Ojantele,
Okpagabi and Ibadan in Agatu council on
Saturday, killing close to 10 people,” the
source supplied. “From there, they ambushed about three
people from Agatu, who were going to a
neighbouring villages in Apa Local
Government Area of the state and
slaughtered them in cold blood.” “The unwarranted killing and destruction of
houses, huts and farms prompted a reprisal
attack on Sunday at the Fulani settlement in
a boarder village between Apa and Agatu,
where a free for all ensued leading to the
death of many more people. “The development has led to villagers living
at the border of both Apa and Agatu
councils fleeing their abode and taking
refuge in neighouring towns and villages for
fear of being killed by the mercenaries, who
have taken over the fighting.” Confirming the incident, Secretary, Miyette
Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Benue
State chapter, Garus Gololo told Journalists
that last night that no fewer than 20 Fulanis
were killed in the fighting.