Barely one month after a devastating attack that killed over 200 people in Yelewata, Benue State, the North-Central state was again visited by a renewed attack by suspected herdsmen, which led to the killing of nine persons, including a police officer, in communities in Agatu Local Government Area.
This is even as a reported inter-tribal clash between the Igede community in Oju and Obi Local Government Areas and their neighboring Tiv communities in Gwer East and Konshisha Local Government Areas left two middle-aged men dead.
The victims, who were identified as Jonathan Ogah and Gabriel Ogodo from Oju LGA, were said to have been killed by suspected Tiv youths at Ulam community in Gwer East council of the state.
Local sources in the affected communities said the herders who attacked the people infiltrated into Agatu from neighboring Kogi.
“The attacks started last Friday at Okwutanobe, where two people were killed. On Saturday, they attacked Okpokpolo and killed one person.
“On Monday, the armed herders invaded Olegagbani where they killed one person. Today (yesterday), the same armed herders attacked Ikpele where they killed one Police officer and four people.
“As we speak, people are fleeing their homes but no one knows where they will attack next.”
Confirming the development, Chairman of Agatu council, James Melvin, said the attackers sustained their actions for three days without any form of intervention from security agencies.
“I can confirm to you that four people were killed in Okwitanobe, Okpokpolo, and Olegugbani while five people, including a police officer, were killed in Ikpele today.”
He lamented that the renewed attack could be a reprisal to claims by the herders that their cows were rustled by criminals.
The Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, Udeme Edet, however, said the command was yet to receive information on the development, even as she assured of prompt deployment of officers to the area.
Condemning the cold-blooded murder of the two men, Governor Hyacinth Alia issued a 48-hour ultimatum to security agencies to fish out the masterminds of the two incidents.
He described the two incidents, which happened separately in different councils of the state, as uncalled for and unfortunate, saying: “Nobody or group has the right to invade another community or inflict harm under any circumstance.
“We have directed the security agencies to move in, liaise with the traditional rulers of the areas concerned and ensure that they comb the vicinity thoroughly and within 48 hours, identify and apprehend the perpetrators of these heinous crimes to face the full wrath of the law.
“Benue is beginning to experience a level of security stability, and I will not tolerate any attempt by anyone regardless of their status or intentions to instigate unrest or threaten the peace we are working hard to sustain,” the governor stated in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Terso Kula.