Suspected herders kill 30 in Benue, displace communities

IG queries Kwara Commissioner over increasing violence

THE orgy of violence and indiscriminate slaughter of humans continued in Benue State, where no fewer than 30 persons were reportedly killed in Logo council between Sunday night and Monday morning by suspected Fulani herders, and more injured.

   It was further learnt that the attackers, who invaded the villages in their numbers, also set ablaze many communities, including Anyii, the hometown of Governor Gabriel Suswam.

   Similarly, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba, has queried the Kwara State Police Commissioner, Salihu Garba, over the recent wave of violence in the state formerly rated among the lowest in crime rates.

   Already, Garba has attributed the recent rise in the crime statistics to overzealousness of some politicians in the state who are using political thugs to settle scores ahead of the general elections. 

   He warned that the police authorities would enforce a state law preventing commercial motorcyclists from that the surge in crime could not be divorced from the activities of cyclists.

   The development came on the heels of the arrest of Momoh David, a 2013 graduate of Industrial Chemistry from Samuel Ajayi Crowther University in Oyo State, for allegedly being in possession of a catche of arms.

   An eyewitness, pleading anonymity, told The Guardian that the marauders besieged the area late Sunday night through Monday, shooting sporadically and burnt down houses, huts and farmlands in the affected communities.

   “The crisis started days back but in this particular instance, we had all gone to bed when we were suddenly woken up by gunshots and heavy movements around our villages by Fulani herdsmen,” the source said.

   “In the midst of the confusion, many of us managed to escape with our families but unfortunately, many were either gunned down or hacked by the invaders. As I speak with you, our villages have been occupied by these strange people and we cannot tell the exact number of deaths now.

   “The situation at the moment is tense; many have been rendered homeless while a large number are helplessly taking refuge at Ugba, the council headquarters, and other safe villages.”

   The latest attack forced Governor Gabriel Suswam to pay an unscheduled visit to the affected areas yesterday while security operatives have moved in to check further escalation of the crisis.

   When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent John Bako, said he was yet to receive details on the matter, though he acknowledged that since the past two weeks there have been skirmishes there between herdsmen and natives.

   The Kwara police boss disclosed that the IGP had sent them a written warning that thuggery was increasing in the state, as “the situation has changed from pelting people with sachets of water and pebbles to use of firearms.”

   He condemned the activities of some of politicians who have refused to call to order their thugs, adding that the ongoing nation-wide judiciary workers’ strike in the state has stalled prosecution in courts of competent jurisdiction of cases involving suspects.