More death has been recorded from the reprisal attack carried out by Fulani herdsmen on Gbeji community in Ukum local government area of Benue State.
The death toll has risen from 18 to 36 just as several people were said to still be missing as of Friday.
It will be recalled that suspected herders had in the early hours of Wednesday stormed the Gbeji community and shot sporadically killing 18 people including a policeman.
The state Commissioner of Police, Wale Abass, while confirming the attack, had described the invasion as a reprisal since five herders were reportedly killed by locals in different communities in Logo, a day earlier (Tuesday).
He had said, “Two Fulanis were coming from Taraba and were on Keke Napeb after the borderline, they (locals) stopped them and were attacked and killed.
“Simultaneously, close to Anyiin in Logo local government another two Fulanis were attacked and killed, also at another village, one of the herders rearing cows, they attacked and killed him thereafter (locals) rustled his cows, butchered and shared them.
“So when this happened and we got wind of it, we are just planning to meet and placate the Fulanis through their leader, the Miyeitti Allah so as to avoid any reprisal attack unknown to us that they had their plan.”
Meanwhile, as of the time the former governor of the State who is now a senator representing the area known as North East senatorial district, Gabriel Suswam visited the Gbeji community on Friday, the death toll was said to have risen to 36.
The erstwhile governor described the killing of innocent people in Gbeji as the nakedness of the Federal Government.
Senator Suswam who lamented the killing said that the massacre shows that the President had further demonstrated ineptitude and lackadaisical attitude in protecting the lives of the people whom he swore to.
He noted that only one week ago, he had visited Mchia which is the same radius as Gbeji where 22 persons were murdered and several others injured.
According to him, “the incessant killings are highly unacceptable and unfortunate, maintaining that it smacks of neglect by the Federal Government on the people.”
The former Governor said it is now the time for people to rise and defend themselves from the herder-killers.
“Federal Government has gone to sleep and does not care about the security of the people. These are peasant farmers whose property has been destroyed and their lives have been decapitated.
“I commend the bravery and gallantry of our security agencies but they are overstretched under the circumstance. I cannot sleep in Abuja while our mothers who farm food that we eat are killed in this way”, Suswam fumed.
The State Governor, Samuel Ortom who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government Prof. Anthony Ijohor reiterated the call on the Federal Government to arm the State Security outfit with AK-47 to effectively protect the people, adding that the State government is profiling the number of displaced persons for adequate assistance.
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