The people of Benue State have been reportedly raided by suspected Fulani herders with multiple residents feared dead.
File Photo
No fewer than 15 persons were feared killed in an outbreak of
fighting between herdsmen and farmers at Ipiga village in Ohimini Local
Government Area of Benue State.
Vanguard gathered from a source in the area that the crisis erupted
Sunday afternoon, when some armed herdsmen stormed neigbouring Ajegbe
village, where they grazed their cattle and destroyed farmlands.
The source said: “From there they moved into Ipiga village
yesterday morning, shooting sporadically, though they met a stiff
resistance from the locals.
“A bloody fight erupted; two of the herdsmen were reportedly
killed, while about 13 of the villagers were also killed. However, many
are still missing and unaccounted for.”
Herdsmen When contacted, the Senior Special Assistant to Benue
State Governor on Fulani Matters, Alhaji Garus Gololo, said two herdsmen
were killed in the crisis.
Gololo said: “I just came back from the area this afternoon
(yesterday). Two herdsmen were killed by the villagers and many cows
were also killed; others were rustled.
“I met the Ardo of the area and everyone has been warned
against any form of reprisal attack and there was nothing like that
because government had warned against this kind of crisis in the state.
“Though the body of one of the dead herdsmen has been recovered
and is reportedly with the police, the search for the other is still
ongoing.”
No comments:
Post a Comment