ABOUT six persons have been killed in a clash between Tiv farmers and Fulani herdsmen at Gbemacha council ward in Gwer local government area of Benue state.
Sources told our correspondent that the crisis was as a result of alleged killing of a Fulani herdsman, which led to a reprisal attack.
The source explained that herdsmen invaded Gbemacha community with about 5,000 cows which hitherto destroyed cassava farms in the area.
Irked by this, according to the source, “youths from the area mobilised themselves and resisted the influx of cows into the area, but were equally countered by the armed herdsmen who besieged the community in their numbers and sacked the locals from their homes.”
Speaking on the issue at Nigeria Union of Journalist, NUJ’s accountability briefing in Makurdi, the Special Adviser to the State Governor, Bureau for Lands and Survey, Prof. Jonathan Uever, who hails from the area, said the Fulani attack was unprovoked.
According to him, “the herdsmen were not provoked in any way, from what I gathered from my people who have been giving me updates on the crisis in the last three days, the herdsmen stormed Gbemacha council ward and everybody ran for their lives.”
“They took over our community and broke into people’s houses, destroyed food barns, and whatever food they saw was burnt.”
“After that, they hid near a popular well in the community laying wait for the people, the first person they saw was an elderly man, was shot and slaughtered him including three others.”
“As I speak with you, I’m being inundated with phone calls from my people on the matter but I’m in touch with the Local Government Sole Administrator.
“I also learnt yesterday that the Sole Administrator had mobilized security personnel and the Civilian Joint Task Force, CJTF to Abinsi area, where the invaders reportedly crossed from, into the community, to stop further movement into the community.”
The State Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent, ASP Moses Yamu when contacted confirmed the attack but said that four persons were killed
He further explained that policemen have been deployed to the area to stem he crisis.
“The attack was as a result of the alleged killing of a herdsman in the community which led to a reprisal attack and three persons were killed,” he said.
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