Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria in Benue State on Thursday said the coordinated attacks on three local government areas of the state Monday night were not carried out by its members.
No fewer than 25 people were murdered in Logo, Guma, and Tarka local government areas of the state in coordinated attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen on Monday night.
The killing of 15 people in the Tarka council area sparked a protest by youths who displayed corpses of victims of the Gboko/Makurdi highway attack which disrupted vehicular movement for hours.
In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by the state Chairman and Secretary of Miyetti Allah, Ando Mohammed, and Ibrahim Galma respectively, the association said there were no Fulani herdsmen in the Tarka and Guma local government areas that could have resulted in herders-farmers clashes.
While commiserating with the people of the state, the association urged security operatives to go after the criminals.
The statement read in parts, “MACBAN, Benue State chapter condemns the acts of brutal killings of innocent people in Logo, Guma and Tarka local government areas of Benue State.
“Our condolences to the families of the victims of the attacks, Benue State Government, and the entire people of the state for the loss.
“We wish to state that the attacks were not carried out by our members in the state as is being brandied because there are no single Fulani herders in Tarka and in Guma local government areas that could cause misunderstanding or provocation between the farmers and herders, particularly in the areas the attacks were carried out.
“Therefore, we call on the security agencies to go after the culprits of the crime and apprehend them.”
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