By George Okoh
Suspected herdsmen last Sunday killed three persons and wounded eight other in Tse-Apera, Nzorov, Benue State, the state Governor, Samuel Ortom’s home town in Guma Local Government Area of the state.
The Chairman of Guma LGA, Mr. Caleb Aba, confirmed this in a telephone conversation with journalists in Makurdi, adding that the herdsmen invaded the community at the early hours of Sunday, as they woke the people up and starting shooting sporadically.
According to him, while the people ran in fear for safety, some were cut with machete in the process.
Aba, who stated that two persons were killed on the spot, noted that the wounded persons were taken to the Teaching Hospital in the state where one person later died.
“There were killed, as five persons were taken to the Teaching Hospital in Makurdi, while two were taken to the General Hospital in Gbajimba, Guma LGA. The killers are Fulani herdsmen. We identified them by the language they spoke as they carried out the activity. They were also carrying rods with them.
The state Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Catherine Anene, also confirmed the incident.
Anene, in a text message, said: “The attack was recorded last Sunday. Two persons died while five were injured. I’m not aware of the beheading of anyone.”
Speaking to journalists in Makurdi, the Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) in Benue State, Ardo Risku Mohammed, said he was not aware of the killings yet.
He said: “I will not stay here in Makurdi and admit that it happened or not because none of my members at the local government area has given me any information yet.”
Mohammed condemned the killings, saying: “As a leader, I do not support the killing of any human being, and no religion teaches his followers to kill people.”
He pledged to make inquiries to enable him get to the root of the matter, as he pledged to work with the state government and security agencies to ensure that whoever is found guilty, whether Fulani or not, will be brought to book.
The MACBAN state chairman, however, urged security agencies to investigate properly to avoid punishing the wrong person or people.
