‘Herders killed 212 persons in Benue’s council in seven years’

The Ter Nagi, Chief Ayua Abomtse, yesterday revealed said no fewer than 212 persons had been killed by herdsmen between 2011 and 2018 in his domain at Gwer West council area of Benue State.

The second-class monarch made the revelation when he received Governor Samuel Ortom on a condolence visit over last week’s killings in the area.Ortom, in his address, said it was high time the mayhem in parts of the federation ended, urging the people to compliment security agents in making the society safer.

He regretted that law enforcement agents were not spared even by the attackers, adding that just yesterday (Monday), a soldier was killed at Tyulen, in Guma local government area.

“We must not allow this barbaric act to continue to prevail on our people. This is not right.”Abomtse went on: “People are being killed and even security men sent here to maintain law are not spared. Since this attacks began January this year, 11 policemen, three civil defence and just yesterday (Monday) a soldier was killed in Guma, my local government area. 

“This is not right. We must respect rule of law. When people violate the law and there is no sanction, it results to impunity and we cannot allow impunity to continue in this state. 

“These attacks are gradually descending to impunity and if we allow impunity, it will deteriorate to anarchy. But we cannot continue to run from these people. We must protect our land even if it means using stones.”He listed the areas attacked to include Mbapa, Mbapupuu, Mbachohon, Enger, among others all in Agagbe District of Gwer-West Local Council.

According him, “one person was on Monday abducted along Makurdi- Naka road and taken to an unknown destination.”The monarch said the herdsmen were camping at Nyiti near Makurdi where they “usually come with their cattle to block the Makurdi-Naka road in wait of their victims who ply the road.”

But, while the governor, who heading for Makurdi after the visit met a mammoth group at a suburb, Adaka, protesting the macheting of five members of their community by the nomads.  Among them were three women and two men who were taken to a nearby clinic for first aid.