Herdsmen Hit Benue Again, Kill 16 In Reprisal Attack

No fewer than sixteen people have lost their lives after suspected herdsmen stormed Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State in a reprisal attack

It was learnt that the herdsmen stormed the communities in Gwer West after their cows were allegedly stolen.

It was also learnt that they shot indiscriminately in Tse Tuma, Chiachia and Tse Targu communities and neighbouring villages killing the 16 people.

Confirming the attack, the Chairman of Gwer West Local Government, Francis Ayagan,said, “Sixteen people were killed by militia herders in Tse Tuma, Chiachia and Tse Targu communities and neighbouring villages, all in Gwer West.”

Also confirming the attack, the sub-sector Commander of the Operation Whirl Stroke in charge of Gwer West, Flying Officer Mohammed Abubakar, said it was a reprisal for cows that were allegedly rustled on Friday by people he claimed were livestock guards in military uniform.

Abubakar said, “At about 4.30 pm on Saturday, information got to me that some people in military uniform were sighted at the Agape Forest and I mobilised my men to the forest.

“My men embarked on a search and discovered that those behind the rustling of cows are members of the livestock guards.

“We later traced them to Ter Nagi’s Palace and discovered 22 cattle there but he (the monarch) claimed that they belonged to him.

“Thereafter, we contacted the DPO, who equally identified the rustlers as members of the Livestock Guards who disguised as military men to rustle cattle and butchered them for sale at the Naka Market.

“As I speak with you, they are selling the meat at the market. The DPO also gave the names of seven persons who are members of the Livestock Guards involved in the incident.

“Just this afternoon, our men went on a mop up patrol and discovered four additional dead bodies at the scene of the incident.”

The Chief Press Secretary to Benue State Governor, Terver Akase, on his own part said it was wrong for the Operation Whirl Stroke to allege that members of the Livestock Guards were involved in the killing.

“This Operation Whirl Stroke comprises of professional soldiers who are expected to act professionally. They can’t rely on information from unverifiable source to come and say members of the Livestock Guards are instigating crisis. Members of the Livestock Guards are not armed, neither were they given military uniform by the Benue State Government. So the military should be objective and unbiased in their actions,” Akase said.

However, the Force Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke, Maj. Gen. Adeyemi Yekini, who lamented the killings, noted that some unforeseen forces were deliberately trying to cause chaos in the state.