…Alia Condemns Attack, Killings, Seeks Arrest of Perpetrators
Suspected Fulani militants on Tuesday made an incursion in two local governments of Benue State, Logo and Gwer West local government areas, leaving at least nine farmers dead and injuring scores of others.
The attack which was in a guerrilla style, came barely a week after Governor Hyacinth Alia briefed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the state of Benue State where he said the state is currently enjoying relative peace from herdsmen’s attack.
New Telegraph reports that in Logo Local Government Area, the insurgents attacked Ayilamo and Mahanga (Mobile Barracks) settlements at about 10:08 pm, leaving some people with varying degrees of bullet wounds.
Five people including one: Ayev Jôgunô (Mbavihi-Mba- zar), Faiga Mwuese Apefan (a k.a. Sixteen Sixteen) (Mbazar), Msendoo Tertese Vaachia (Mba- gum), James Mhen Nyerga Ior- liam (Tse-Ihyôôn-Iwendyer) and Orgbee Mnguerorga (Tse-Nyajo- Mbaiwem) were reported to have been killed, while three others including: Mrs. Mngohol Igbalu- mun Utile (Mbaidyo), Mr Vershima Usange Meeme(Saghe- Nongov) and Mrs. Terpase Nyerga (Tse-Ihyôôn-Iwendyer), sustained serious injuries.
It was also learnt that four people in Nagi Camp in Mbachohon council ward of Gwer West Local Government Area whose whereabouts remain unknown as at press time, may have equal- ly been killed. Those said to be missing include Joe Igba, Nyali Akula, Tarvihi Donald and Tyozenda Orkoh aka Shifting.
Meanwhile, Governor Alia has utterly condemned both unprovoked attacks ‘by suspected armed herders’. He “frowned at the nefarious activities of the herders who maimed and kill innocent Benue citizens in cold blood for reasons which are difficult to grasp and pin down.”
He maintained that Benue is an agrarian society whose economy is largely based on producing and maintaining crops and farmlands, and “we cannot watch our people killed daily on their farmlands and their villages for a cause very unknown to us.”
The Governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Tersoo Kula, who lamented cases of alleged herdsmen attacks on Benue communities leading to loss of lives and property said he will not rest until such barbaric acts are curtailed.