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17 killed in Nasarawa, government moves against perpetrators

By Abel Abogonye, Lafia
05 January 2018   |   2:06 am
Disturbed by the needless killings in its localities, the Nasarawa government has convoked an elaborate security meeting in Lafia to curtail the bloodletting in the state and its neighbouring Benue. A Deputy Inspector General of Police, Habila Joshak, said the parley vowed to bring to justice those behind the killings in Benue State. He said:…

Disturbed by the needless killings in its localities, the Nasarawa government has convoked an elaborate security meeting in Lafia to curtail the bloodletting in the state and its neighbouring Benue.

A Deputy Inspector General of Police, Habila Joshak, said the parley vowed to bring to justice those behind the killings in Benue State.

He said: “We have taken an assessment of the areas and the next action to be taken has been discussed. There is nobody that is too big to be brought to justice.”

However, the president of Tiv Development Association (TIDA), Bernard Kyegna, has decried the alleged killing of 17 farmers and destruction of 20 houses.

Tracing the tension to the reported move to avert the implementation of the anti-open grazing law in neighbouring Benue State, Kyegna said the marauding herdsmen killed the people in three days.

He also claimed that the settlements of Tiv farmers, cutting across Awe and Keana local councils of the state, were reduced to rubbles.

Kyegna told newsmen that “on the fateful day of the new year, a man was matcheted to death at Gidan Wurji in Awe Local Government Area while moving his farm produce to the town.”

According to him, “another killing occurred same day when some armed herdsmen who were returning from their attack on Benue State, killed a man they saw in his compound along Awe-Tunga road in Awe council area of the state.

“We also received a report that two Tiv people were reportedly killed at Bakin Kortaa, a border settlement which is about 12 kilometres from the Benue/Nasarawa border line, at about 7:00p.m. Also a report in my village (Kwarra) in Keana Local Government Area, has it that the marauding herdsmen equally gunned down three farmers while working on their farm.”

The Guardian gathered from a victim, Terzungwe Tachin, who escaped death by the whiskers, that eight Tiv farmers were slaughtered in different locations in the a two council areas. He gave locations as Tse Kwaghtser –Tunga settlement, Kuduku, Nyashashu, Obosidoma and Kaambe – Jangaru.

Contacted, the Nasarawa State Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Kennedy Idirisu, said only one person was killed.

Also yesterday, over 12,000 persons were displaced following attacks on border communities.

The deputy governor of Benue State, Silas Ali Agara, made the disclosure during an assessment visit to the camp of internally displaced persons in Awe Local Council.

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