Armed herders kill seven in Benue fresh attack

Again, armed herdsmen have killed seven people at Yongia Uambie Tiev in Ukembrergya/Tswarev ward in Logo Local Government Area of Benue State.

This is coming barely hours after the lawmaker representing Apa State constituency in the state assembly, Abu Umoru decried the unabated attacks and killings in Apa LGA of the state.

Umoru had spoken to newsmen on Thursday, and lamented that he had lost count of casualties in the local government since the attacks started a few days ago.

According to the lawmaker, “the entire Edikpo Community had been displaced, enre Opaha where I come from, nobody in is that community, Odugbo, nobody is there, Akpete, Ikobi, Akpata, Idiaha, Ochumekwu, Adiga nobody is in those communities.

“Everyday they will be burning houses in Akpete. As I speak to you, for three consecutive days, they have been going to Akpete and burning houses after chasing them out of their ancestral homes.

“They have been ambushing, killing people, one, two, three to five persons on a daily basis.

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“Right now I don’t know the number of casualties. They are so many.

The latest incident in Logo LGA of the state, according to a community leader, Anawah Joseph occurred between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Anawah explained that the attackers came in their numbers to attack the community armed with sophisticated weapons.

According to him, “these attackers who are armed herders came in groups up to 500, the Tuesday attack started around 4 pm and lasted till 8pm, then on Wednesday they resumed again, I don’t think they came to graze but to attack.

The community leader said that several people were killed in the attack.

Chairman of the Logo LGA, Rev Adagbe Jonathan confirmed seven people killed in the council in two days of attack.

Jonathan said, “It happened on Tuesday and Wednesday with seven casualties.

“On Tuesday, two were killed and Wednesday evening, five were killed in Yongia Ukambie Tiev, Ukembrergya/Tswarev ward.

“The attack was carried out by the Fulani herdsmen. Even when I went there on an assessment tour, they were still grazing on the other side of the road, claiming that the area was Taraba state.

“No one could just approach them. I am even now in Makurdi, I reported to the Special Adviser on internal affairs and security, Special Adviser, Bureau of Local Goverment and Chieftaincy Affairs and to the Permanent Secretary of the Bureau of Internal services.

Meanwhile the spokesperson for the State Command, SP, Catherine Anene did not pick up her call when contacted and did not respond to a text message sent to her cellphone.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE