April 19, (THEWILL) – Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has confirmed the death of 55 persons in Logo and Ukum local government areas following attacks by suspected herdsmen last Thursday night.
Governor Alia, who visited the affected communities for an on-the-spot assessment on Saturday, condemned the unprovoked invasion and warned that any native found collaborating with the attackers would face consequences.
He assured residents that the government was taking steps to address the security challenges confronting the state, stressing that while Benue people have the capacity to defend themselves, they must not take the law into their own hands but allow security agencies to handle the situation.
Providing a breakdown of the casualties, the governor said 27 people were killed in Logo, while 28 lost their lives in Ukum. He commended security forces for their bravery in responding to the attacks.
Governor Alia also thanked the Tor Sankera, Chief David Sev-Av, for assuming leadership at a critical time and charged him to caution his subjects against engaging in reprisals.
He expressed optimism that President Bola Tinubu’s renewed approach to national security would help bring an end to insecurity, particularly in Benue State.
Meanwhile, the Benue State Police Command, through its Public Relations Officer, ACP Sewuese Anene, had earlier confirmed 17 deaths from the attacks.
