Governor mourns as armed men kill scores of people in three Local Govt Areas
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has lamented the spate of killings and continued invasion of communities in his state by suspected armed Fulani herdsmen.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday in Makurdi by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Nathaniel Ikyur.
The statement says the Governor, while reacting to Tuesday’s bloody activities of Fulani herdsmen that reportedly hacked many of residents to death in Guma, Kwande and Gwer West Local Government Areas of the state, urged the people to rise up and defend themselves.
The statement reads in part: “A report from the team leader of Security Agencies in Kasekyo near Tse Torkula village in Guma LGA said suspected Fulani herders at about 9:30am on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 shot one Turner Ajar and an unidentified elderly man who were on a motorcycle going to the farm.
“The team of Agro Rangers who were on patrol in the area ran into the attack, unfortunately, the victims had already been killed. Their corpses were taken and deposited at a hospital in Gbajimba, Guma LGA of the state.
“In Kpankeeke, a suburb on the outskirts of Naka, headquarters of Gwer West LGA, gory images of persons killed by another set of herdsmen littered the streets.
“The Agro Rangers team were alerted and they moved to the location alongside the Army and Police. The patrol team found the body of one Ahemba Apeelu, an aged man at a sawmill from Saav/Ukusu Council Ward who was slaughtered and his throat slit.
“Others identified to have been killed by the invaders includes Tersoo Yasough and a young lady known as Martha Ukange.
“Another body of a young man yet to be identified was later sighted along the road. Another body yet to be identified was recovered too. The search for more persons who are said to be missing is ongoing in affected communities.”
The statement noted that eye witnesses alleged that the armed herders were dressed in military camouflage as a decoy as they unleashed mayhem in the affected communities.
