April 12, (THEWILL) – Angry youths on Tuesday, blocked the Makurdi-Gboko Highway, to protest the gruesome killing of over 25 persons, including a traditional ruler in Benue by suspected herdsmen on Monday night.
The blockage led to gridlock as vehicular movement remained standstill for more than 10 hours.
According to local sources, the gunmen, suspected to be herdsmen on Monday night, invaded Tse-Sumaka village near branch Umenger in Mbadwem council ward in Guma LGA, Tyotugh village in Tarka LGA, as well as in Gaambetiev in Logo LGA, in an organised manner and launched a coordinated attack on the people simultaneously.
One of the sources, Terdoo Michael from Guma LGA, told newsmen that the attackers who may just have been waiting for the right time to strike, targeted the people while they were relaxing after meal, and started shooting sporadically in all directions around 7pm.
“It was about that same time that the herders struck too in our village at Tyotugh in Tarka Local Government Area”, another source, who identified himself as Ortwer James said.
He said many people were killed and several others also injured, while some who were also abducted and taken away by the attackers were yet to be seen at the time of filing this report.
The sad development had caused serious chaos in Tyotugh area, where angry youths blocked the Makurdi/Gboko road with the corpses of the deceased victims thus, causing a heavy gridlock on that route.
A traditional ruler was reportedly murdered and several others injured after suspected herders stormed Gaambetiev in Logo Local Government Area of the state on the same night.
Confirming the attack on Guma LGA, Chairman of the Council, Caleb Aba, on Tuesday afternoon, said seven corpses have so far been recovered, while one more person who was shot was still battling to survive at the hospital.
“At about 7pm last night (Monday), people of Tse-Sumaka village near branch Umenger in Mbadwem council ward in Guma LGA, were relaxing after the day’s work at their farm. Suddenly, some herdsmen invaded the area and started shooting at them. Five persons died at the spot, three were injured.
“While those three injured were being rushed to the hospital, one died before getting to the hospital, while another injured victim also died this morning. This brings the number of deaths from that singular attack to seven with one injured still battling for life at the hospital”, he said.
Asked if the invaders were provoked, Aba said: “These days, these Fulani herdsmen don’t have to be provoked before they attack and kill because their agenda is to chase us away from our ancestral homes and occupy our land.”
He said the matter had already been reported to relevant security agencies.
Confirming the attack, Lt Col Paul Hemba, a Security Adviser to Governor Samuel Ortom, said: “Yes, those incidents actually happened in Guma, Logo and Tarka. So far, nine corpses have been recovered from Guma. In Tarka where I’m just coming from with the Commissioner of Police and Commander, 72 Special Forces Battalion, so far, 15 corpses were recovered, but it is strongly suspected that more may be recovered from the 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 I’m back, I will get back to my contacts to see if the figure has risen from the one I got last night.”
Hemba disclosed that the killings were carried out by suspected herders and happened about the same time in all the locations, adding that those who were injured and those who escaped the attack confirmed the attackers were herdsmen.
Also, a Senior Special Assistant to the governor on media, James Igbudu, who confirmed the incident, called on the Federal Government to protect his community from suspected herdsmen.
Police spokeswoman, SP Catherine Anene, confirmed the attacks on the three LGAs and promised to furnish newsmen with details later.
“I am currently at the scene of an incident with the commissioner of police. I will communicate with you soon. It’s not convenient to talk from here”, Anene said.
