From Msuur Akase, Makurdi
Fifteen days after the Benue State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Risku Mohammed, was murdered, suspected armed herders kill, at least, 16 people at Nobi community, Otukpo Local Government Area of the state in what looked like reprisal attacks.
Daily NewsCraft reports that Mohammed was killed on June 26 by gunmen, after attending a peace meeting in Ohinmini Local Government Area of the state.
It was gathered that the attackers reportedly struck twice (on Saturday when suspected herders invaded Akpachi village in Ugboju community, and reportedly struck again in the early hours of Sunday) – developments that angered the youths and women from the community who took to major streets in Otukpo, including the palace of the Och’Idoma, to protest the killings.
In his reaction, Governor Hyacinth Alia has condemned the killings, describing them as “not only a breach of peace, but also a barbaric and inhuman assault on the sanctity of life and the collective soul of the people of Benue State.”
The condemnation was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, and made available to journalists in Makurdi.
“The suspected armed herders reportedly invaded Akpachi Village in Akpa, Otukpo Local Government Area, between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. while residents were asleep. The attackers killed scores of people, while many others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
“These acts of mindless bloodshed are a direct attempt to sabotage the progress of our state,” it read in part.
Alia, who expressed sadness over the attack, said, he “shares in the grief and anger of the people of Otukpo and the entire Benue South Senatorial District,” saying, ‘Your lives are precious, and I can assure you that your ancestral lands will not be surrendered to fear.’”
Alia said the people of the state had consistently demonstrated remarkable restraint and commitment to peace but warned that such restraint must never be mistaken for weakness.
While consoling the people of Otukpo, the governor said, “My government stands firmly with you, and we will not allow our communities to be turned into killing fields.”
He directed all security agencies operating in the state to liaise with their counterparts in neighbouring states and to “swing into action” with renewed vigour by intensifying surveillance and patrols across the affected communities and border areas.
He also called on security agencies to ensure the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators and to deploy additional personnel and resources to protect vulnerable communities and prevent further attacks.
While calling on Benue residents to remain vigilant, the governor urged every citizen to cooperate with the police and military by providing timely and credible intelligence, saying, “Security is a collective responsibility, and your information is a vital tool in our defence.”
Meanwhile, the Benue State Police Command has arrested seven additional suspects in connection with the killing of Mohammed, including an 80-year-old man.
The spokesperson for the command, DSP Udeme Edet, in a statement issued on Saturday and made available to journalists in Makurdi, said seven additional suspects had been arrested.
“Following sustained intelligence gathering, painstaking investigation and continuous tactical operations, an additional seven (7) suspects have been arrested in connection with the case.
“The arrests were made during intelligence-led operations by operatives of the Command in continuation of the investigation,” Edet said in the statement.
The command spokesperson named those arrested as Chief Morgan Ejaga, 43; Chief Moses Anteyi, 45; Chief John Ogli, 58; Chief Yawuhu Adaji, 49; Sylvester Ajonye, 80; Aba Alexander Uloko, 59; and Fidelis Iduma, 45.