Three people have been reportedly killed by gunmen suspected to be armed herdsmen at Imatom village in the Logo Local Government Area of Benue State.
A community leader, Anawa Joseph, who said the incident happened on Sunday, lamented the repeated killing of people in the local government area by suspected herders.
Anawa gave the names of the latest victims as Tertsea Terkimbi Adagundu, Tertsea Mkposu and Mimidoo Umburga.
He said, “These three young men were killed by Fulani militia herdsmen at Imatom village Square near Chembe, Ukemberagya, Logo Local Govt, Benue State yesterday, Saturday, October 14 at about 9 pm.
“Their corpses have been deposited at NKST hospital morgue. All these renewed attacks and killings without any provocation are aimed at displacing the peasant farmer in order to pave the way for cattle to graze on their crops.”
According to Joseph, the latest attack was the forth since September.
“Recently, on Saturday, September 3, at about 11 am, one Monday Hembaku of Chembe village was accosted and killed on his cassava farm by Fulani herdsmen. His corpse is still lying at NKST Anyiin morgue.
“Five days after, on Friday, September 29 at about 2 pm, two women from the same village, (Chembe) Mrs Iember Ornguga and Dinnah Chembe, were hackec with machetes and badly wounded by Fulani marauders when they went to fetch firewood.
“They were rushed to a medical facility by men of Operation Wilds Stroke station at Arufu, a nearby settlement where they are recuperating.
“Another attack took place on Wednesday, October 11 around 9 am at Iorza along Tse Abiem Road where two young men, Mr. Mbaadega Vihimga and Chuku Gaku, who went to buy fish at Zebo Market near River Benue were waylaid on their way back by Fulani militia who inflicted them with varying degrees of injury. They are now receiving treatment at a medical facility at Iorza and the killing of these three young men yesterday, Saturday, October 14 at about 9pm.”
Anawa called on both state and federal governments to, as a matter of urgency, deploy security to secure the area.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Catherine Anene, said, in a text message: “I don’t have that information.”
