BEVERLY HILLS, March 07, (THEWILL) –Â Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has issued a directive for necessary arrangements to be made for another mass burial in the state slated for next week Friday, March 16.
The governor gave the directive on Tuesday during his visit to Omusu village which was recently attacked by herdsmen which has left 24 people dead including 14 women and two children while the search for more bodies continues.
Ortom described the attack as unfortunate and called for the arrest and prosecution of the herdsmen allegedly responsible for the attack on Omusu village in Okpokwu Local Government Area of the state
He also reiterated his call for the arrest of the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore whom he alleged were sponsoring the suspected herdsmen militia but appealed to the community not to embark on reprisal attacks.
The governor also visited Saint Mary’s Hospital Okpoga, where the injured persons were treated and proceeded to the General Hospital in the town where remains of the dead victims were deposited.
THEWILL recalls that the state held a mass burial on Thursday, January 11 2018 at the IBB Square in Makurdi, Benue state capital as over 80 people were reported to have been killed in an attack by herdsmen which began in the first week of the year.
It was reported that 74 graves were dug at Adeke, a village in Makurdi where the victims would be buried, while 61 coffins were on ground at the event.
Government offices, commercial banks, markets and schools were closed the state capital in observance of the work-free day earlier declared by the State Government in honour of the victims.
