Unknown gunmen kill 19, kidnap 17 in Benue

As the security situations in Benue state remain unfavourable will the acclaimed and continuous Fulani herdsmen killing spree, no fewer than 19 persons among them women and children were yesterday killed by unknown gunmen while 17 others were abducted in different villages of Agatu Local Government Area of the Benue State. 

Agatu Local Government Chairman, Hon. Stephen Dutse told newsmen in Makurdi yesterday that the attackers stormed, Olegaje, Ogumogbo, Ejuma and Ogbagaji, headquarters of the local government about 10pm in a guerrilla manner and started shooting sporadically making the people to run for dear life.

Benue state Commissioner of Works, Mr. John Ngbede and the lawmaker representing the area at the State House of Assembly, Sule Audu both also  lamented the absence of security operatives during the attacks in the affected communities, appealing to the security agencies in the state to deploy their personnel in the affected villages and surrounding communities so that such incidence could be prevented in future.

However, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Daniel Ezeala said the command was yet to be briefed on the latest incident.

Benue State chapter of Association of Local Government of Nigeria, (ALGON),  yesterday called on state and federal government to initiate a kind of Civilian Joint Task Force to support local communities in the state to maintain peace and wade off the Fulani invaders.  ALGON chairman, Hon. Terna Kester Kyenge who led other members to brief newsmen at the NUJ House in Makurdi, said that more efforts should be made to strengthen security infrastructure in the state with greater emphasis on local policing and neighbourhood watch.

“Instead of relying more on conventional style of government security apparatus, the down-up, people-based approach from ward, local, state and federal levels should be emphasized,” he added. suggesting that the JTF must be designed in the context of the joint Fulani/Hausa, Tiv/Idoma ethno-religious summit to enhance dialogue to resolve the on-going crises.

The chairman lamented that despite Governor Suswam’s high profile security credentials, over eight local governments in Benue,  including Guma, Gwer West, Gwer East, Apa, Agatu, Logo, Katsina Ala, Kwande among other areas have already been engulfed in the crisis. He further regretted the suspected use of chemical weapons on Benue natives especially in Gwer West and Guma Local Government Area where 12 persons were discovered dead without gun wounds or machete cuts on their bodies.

Kyenge posited that the situation has raised a lot of concern  as investigation is on-going to determine whether their death was caused by chemical use or otherwise.

He lamented that Nigerian borders are porous as a result of which dangerous material are being smuggled into the country, urging that the federal government should intensify security patrol at the borders to check the situation. On their part, the AlGON chairman pledged to provide food and other essentials to the displaced persons and called on public-spirited individuals to also come to the aid of the refugees.

Source: The Sun