Herdsmen, again, invaded several communities in three local government areas of Benue State Monday night and killed a traditional ruler and 24 other people.
The armed herdsmen were said to have invaded Tse-Sumaka village near Umenger, Mbadwem council in the Guma Local Government Area where they killed nine people and one injured.
A traditional ruler was killed in the Gaambetiev area while many others were critically injured.
Several houses were burnt at Avalumun Ioraav all in Turan council ward in Logo local government area of the state.
At Tiortyu in Tarka Local Government Area of the state, another 15 people were said to have been murdered by the marauding herders.
Incidentally, Governor Samuel Ortom and his predecessor, Senator Gabriel Suswam hail from Guma and Logo local government areas respectively and the two council areas had constantly been targets of attack by herders since 2018.
The minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs and one-time governor of the state, Senator George Akume hails from Tarka local government.
The marauding herders were reported to have invaded the communities simultaneously.
The killing in Tarka was said to have triggered protest by youths who displayed bodies of the victims along Makurdi/Gboko federal highway in early hours on Tuesday.
The protest was said to have disrupted vehicular movement for hours.
Confirming the attack, the Security Adviser to the governor, Lt Col. Paul Hemba (retd.), said that the attack was carried out simultaneously in the three local governments, adding that more corpses may still be recovered.
“Yes, those incidences actually happened in Guma, Logo and Tarka, so far, nine corpses were recovered from Guma.
“In Tarka where am just coming from with the Commissioner of Police, 15 corpses were recovered, but we are strongly suspected that more corpses may be recovered from bushes.
“We are arranging a patrol into bushes because some other persons have not been seen. It is also believed that the attackers too left with some other persons alive.
“So, for now, those are the corpses that we could physically see and count.
“In Logo, the same thing happened and a traditional ruler was murdered but now that am back, I will get back to my contacts to see if the figure has risen from the one I got last night,” Hemba explained.
The security adviser however said that killings were carried out by suspected herders and that they happened about the same time in all the locations, saying, “those who were injured and those who escaped the attack confirmed they were herdsmen.”
When contacted, the State Police Command spokesperson, SP Catherine Anene said she had gone to one of the scenes of the incident.
“I am currently at the scene of the incident with the commissioner of police. I will communicate with you soon,” Anene said .
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