10 killed in renewed Fulani/Tiv crisis in Benue

ABOUT 10 persons were reported killed during the renewed fulani herdsmen and  Tiv farmers crisis in Benue yesterday.

According to an eyewitness, the crisis was said to have started on Friday but snowballed to wanton destruction of lives and property yesterday at  Mkgovur village in Buruku local government area of Benue State.

It was gathered that Fulani herdsmen had stormed the village on Friday to stay but were resisted by the villagers who told them that they were not known to the people of the area.

The herders were said to have invaded the community around 8 am Saturday with guns and cutlasses and entered into the residence of the villagers killing and maiming.

As at the time the dust settle, about ten persons were said to have been killed while several persons were said to have been injured in the attack.

One of the villagers who simply identified himself as Tyorsase told our correspondent that several persons were killed and dozens of people injured and taken to undisclosed hospital in Gboko.

According to him,  ‘I had travelled to the village on Friday only to wake up early this morning to see Fulani herdsmen invading our village as early as 8am, the men who were in large numbers were fully armed shooting sporadically and they entered our houses shot people and macheted many’.

He said as at the time he could escape from the village, over seven lifeless bodies were found  on ground  while several persons could  not be traced, adding that several persons sustained varied degree of  injuries and taken to hospital.

Speaking on the attack, Benue State chairman of Myetialla Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria, Mr Garus Gololo told Sunday Tribune on phone that the herders were not indigenous fulani, ‘they came from Taraba  and went to Mkgovur village on Friday but were resisted  by the villagers.’

He said further, ‘it is our agreement now that any Fualni man  not known to the host community be not allowed to stay in any community in Benue,  so when the herders  entered Mkgovur  village the villagers refused them stay, I think this was what provoked them to have invaded the village this morning.’

When asked of the casualties, Gololo said, ‘I cannot give the number of people who died but I have sent one of our members to go there for more details.’

The State Police Public Relation Officer, PPRO, Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, Moses Yamu confirmed the attack but said he was yet to be given the detail report from Area Commander in Gboko.

“I’m awaiting message from Area Commander, Gboko”, he replied in a message sent to our correspondent.

Benue Police Spokesman, ASP Moses Yamu reaction to the Fulani attack on Mkgovur village confirmed that one person was killed and two others injured and taken to General hospital in Gboko.

He explained in the statement sent to our correspondent that the Mallam Ado Fulani Buruku had on Friday reported that some Tiv youths attacked and inflicted matchet cuts on two cows while grazing leading the rest cows to scatter into the bush in Benewura of Binev council ward in Buruku.

The PPRO further said that same Friday, the vigilante commander brought one Tyowon Terkuma of Tse Mbakah ward who was injured on his right wrist by herders whose cattle was trying to enter his farm was rushed to hospital treated and discharged.

Yamu in his statement further explained that youths from Tongur allegedly attacked  Fulani camp and scattered the cattle at Mkgovur  in Buruku where three persons were injured and one died while been rushed to general hospital, Gboko.