MAKURDI—No fewer than 66 persons
were on Wednesday night killed in Benue and Taraba states by gunmen suspected
to be herdsmen, with the attacks continuing yesterday.
Scores of others were also killed in
Zamfara communities, following a midnight attack by suspected herdsmen.
While
41, according to residents, were reportedly killed in separate attacks on
communities in Logo and Ukum local government areas of Benue State, 25 were
slaughtered at Jandeikyula village in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba
State.
The killings in Taraba prompted the governor, Darius Ishaku, to align
with former Chief of Army Staff and Defence Minister, Lt. General T.Y. Danjuma,
asking the people to rise and defend themselves.
The residents in the Benue
communities also said the death toll may rise sharply in the coming hours, as
more bodies were still being removed from nearby bushes. Among the injured
victims of the latest attack was 70-year-old Mama Uhaen Ndiisaa, mother of a
former chairman of Logo Local Government Area, Mr. Terhemen Ndiisaa, of Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP. The latest attacks came a day after 15 people were
killed by gunmen said to be wearing military uniform.
“The first attack
happened in Tse Hwer in Ukemberyge/Tsweray Council Ward in Logo Local
Government around 6:30 p.m. to this morning,” said a senior state government
official who did not want to be named. He said he had been warned by federal
authorities for talking to the media in the past. “Some people are saying their
families are missing, but we haven’t been able to confirm how many exactly,’’
he said. ‘’When they arrived at about 6:00 p.m. in Jande-Ikyura in Ukum Local
Government Area, the gunmen appeared determined to wipe out the entire
community, said another resident of the area who said he had been to the
village yesterday morning to witness the aftermath.
Jande-Ikyura is a border
community between Ukum LGA in Benue and Wukari Local Government Area in Taraba
State. “It was like they wanted to be sure that all the villagers were killed
before they would run back to their hideouts.
They killed 22 people who were
living there,’’ said 48-year-old Isaac Ihiev. Mr Ihiev said three of the
attackers who were killed when some youth responded to the assault were found
in military uniform. “Three of them were killed and they dressed like soldiers
when their bodies were moved out from the bush,” Mr Ihiev said, adding that he
lives in a nearby village that falls under Wukari LGA in Taraba State. He said
efforts were underway to find the missing people. In his account, Terhemen
Ndiisaa told Vanguard on phone: “The herdsmen attacked my community, Igboughur
Mbavuur, in Logo Local Government, last night around 10pm, killing two persons.
“This time, they did not burn down houses but resorted to breaking into
people’s houses but luckily many were able to flee and escape after they heard
the sporadic gunshots in the community. “Unfortunately, my mother was shot
while she was fleeing but she is still alive and many others also sustained
injuries.
“As we speak, our people are packing out of our villages and
communities and fleeing to any safe place but the truth is that nowhere is safe
for now because we cannot tell the next target.” Also speaking, a former aide
of the former governor of the state, whose community was affected in the latest
attack, said the group which attacked Igbougher Mbavuur also struck at
Tse-Wadr, killing three persons.
“We suspect that the same gang which attacked
Igbougher Mbavuur were responsible for the early morning attack on Tse-Wadr in
the same Logo local government where they sacked the community and killed three
persons, leaving scores with injuries around 5am today (yesterday). “As we
speak, there is palpable fear and tension in several communities of Logo local
government, especially those bordering River Benue and Nasarawa State, from
where the invaders come to attack our communities.
“Usually, they cross River
Benue from Nasarawa State to attack, after which they beat a retreat in a
guerrilla fashion. ‘On Danjuma I stand‘ “With this development, I am adding my
voice and actually toeing the lines of the call by the former Army Chief,
Theophilus Danjuma and Governor Samuel Ortom that the people should resort to
self-defence.
“I want to affirm to you that as from the 10th of this month till
today, there have been continuous attacks everyday in our communities and how
long will we watch helplessly while our people are killed like animals? It is,
indeed, a source of worry to us all.” Reacting, the Chief Press Secretary to
the Acting Governor of the state, Mr. Ogaba Edeh, said the continued killings
in the state by herdsmen was saddening. Edeh said: “It is sad that the killings
have continued, despite the presence of security personnel in some of these
areas. “The development stands condemned and its a pointer to the fact that the
federal government has to do more to stop these ceaseless killings in the state
by herdsmen.” When contacted the State Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, said
he was yet to get the report.
“I do not have a record of that, I have mobile
police men in those areas and if anything happens and they have not reported
it, it means nothing has happened,.” he said. Also yesterday, the village of Agboughul
in Makurdi town was attacked, leading to the death of two persons while several
persons were injured.
A resident in the area told Vanguard that the herdsmen
stormed the community that is located close to River Benue yesterday afternoon.
“They came this afternoon (yesterday) and started shooting and killed a man who
went to the area to dig a well on a plot of land and another. “The remains of
the dead were moved on a motorbike to the ‘D’ Division Police station in
Makurdi by angry youths who almost went on rampage. “Several persons are at the
moment moving out of the community, though the Police have moved into the area
to ensure that the herdsmen were pushed out of the besieged community.” Police
confirm killings When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant
Superintendent Moses, ASP, Moses Yamu, who confirmed the development, said the
State Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, also led his personnel to the
community. He said: “I can confirm that two persons were killed in Agboughul community
this afternoon by suspected herdsmen.
“The Commissioner of Police has already
visited there and he has also deployed a unit of our Mobile Police personnel to
the community to ensure the restoration of peace in the area.” Killer herdsmen
defy IGP’’s presence In Taraba State, the herdsmen killed 25 persons at
Jandeikyula village in Wukari Local Government area of the state, despite the
presence of the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, who had been on a
three-day visit to the state. Special Adviser to Governor Darius Ishaku on
Students’ Affairs, Engr. Samson Tor-Musa, who hails from the area, confirmed
the killing in a telephone interview with Vanguard. He lamented that despite
efforts by Governor Darius Ishaku to ensure peaceful coexistence in the state,
some people were bent on frustrating his efforts and called for the
reinforcement of security in the area. Also, a former Special Adviser to late
Governor Danbaba Suntai, Orbee Uchiv, who hails from Jandeikyula, told
journalists that the armed herdsmen invaded the village at about 6pm, opening
fire on innocent villagers. Uchiv said the number of deaths would have been
more but for the quick intervention of soldiers on patrol around the area who
were coming from Gbeji, a neighbouring town in Benue State where four people
were killed on Tuesday. An eyewitness, who narrowly escaped death in the
attack, Mr. Victor Iortim, told Vanguard that the attackers launched attack on
the village, killing anybody in sight and burning houses. “They were numbered
close to 200. I went to a neighbouring village and I was on my way back to
Jandeikyula when I sighted them. “I quickly hid in the bush. They were well
armed with sophisticated weapons.
There was no way I could call home because
there was no network on my phone where I hid,” he said. Wukari Council
Chairman, Daniel Adi, confirmed the attack, saying many people were killed.
“Many people were killed in the attack, but I don’t have the casualty figure
now. I am on my way to the village now and will give details of the casualty
figure and the wounded when I am back from the village. Police Public Relations
Officer, ASP. David Missal, also confirmed the attack, but said details were
still sketchy. The attack came barley 48 hours after the Inspector General of Police
IGP. Ibrahim Idris, commissioned a mobile police base in Takum and confirmed
reinforcement of three additional units of police personnel to Taraba State to
curb attacks in the state.
The IGP, who is on a three-day official visit to
Taraba, is still in the state, even as the Army Operation, Ayem Akpatuma, had
been extended in Taraba. Military still aiding wanton killings in Taraba—Gov
Ishaku Meanwhile, Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba State, yesterday,
cried out against what he called continued military collusion with militias to
kill innocent persons in various parts of the state.
The governor spoke when he
received the Special Military Panel set up by the Chief of Army Staff to probe
the alleged connivance of the military with herdsmen to kill farmers in the
state, led by its President, Major General James Nimyel, retd. The chairman and
members of the panel were on a courtesy visit to the Governor at Government
House Jalingo at the commencement of their job. The governor said it was at the
height of the wanton killings that the former Defence Minister spoke against
the military, saying that the people of the state were solidly behind Danjuma
on the statement he made.
According to him, Danjuma spoke the minds of most
citizens of the state and Nigeria, describing him as being bold, courageous and
that his statement came to all of them as a surprise. He said considering the
reputation of Danjuma, both locally and internationally, his views should not
only be respected but should also be commended. The governor cited the recent
development in Takum, where military personnel deployed to the area went into
houses and dispossessed them of the their cutlasses, kitchen knives and even
took away monies in some houses, while the holders of Ak47 were left to continue
with the killings.
He said the killings which had become a daily affair pose a
huge challenge to our unity as a country and do not support our desire to
remain as one country, especially now that Nigeria is battling to remain united
as one country. Governor Ishaku maintained that nobody in this country would
want the repeat of the civil war in this country considering the trauma and
hardship that the people experienced within the period the war lasted. ‘Nobody
in his right senses would ask for a repeat of those tragic days in our
history.’ Governor Ishaku lamented that what he has seen since he became the
Governor of the state for about three years is humiliating and disturbing,
stating that the killing in the state has been a daily affair, resulting in
whole family members being wiped out in some cases. Ishaku said: “I didn’t
sleep yesterday. At 1 o’clock this morning, I was woken up and told that
herdsmen militia had attacked again in Tsondi. They fought a fierce battle
against the military, but fortunately the Military in Takum came early enough
but not less than 14 people were killed. “The same thing happened again this
morning at 3am, the Military in Takum went around beating up youths arresting
them from their houses, charging them with some allegations and packed them to
the barrack.
The citizens are not protected, the citizens are scared to death,
the citizens are afraid and yet they are being terrorized. ‘We already have
Boko Haram that has not been completely defeated. The herdsmen killing has
joined. Who says there could not be a third one? “As Governor, I was sworn in
to protect the lives of my people.
I have sworn that what is right should be
done, therefore, I will not fear, I will not relent to tell the truth as raw as
it may be.” Governor Ishaku expressed support for the idea of state police to
enable state governors deal will urgent security challenges.
The panel Speaking
earlier, the chairman of the investigation Panel, Major General James Nimyel
(retd) said the panel was in the state to investigate the allegation made
against the Nigerian Army during the course of operations in Taraba State with
a view to making appropriate recommendations that will assist relevant
authorities in making appropriate decisions. The Military Investigating Panel
said the statement made by General TY Danjuma on military collusion with
herdsmen killing innocent people in Nigeria should rather be taken seriously
and looked into instead of being criticized. “The activities of the Nigerian
Army in the recent past, Military operation, particularly in Taraba State have
come under criticism by individuals, interest groups from different sectors of
the society, particularly Taraba State Government and Non-governmental
organizations.” “Statements of this nature could and have indeed questioned the
reputation of the Armed forces of Nigeria and thus cannot be ignored if the
Nigerian Army is to continue to earn the trust and respect of the people of
Taraba State in particular and Nigeria at large,” he remarked.
Scores killed in
fresh attack on Zamfara villages Meanwhile, gunmen suspected to be herdsmen on
Wednesday attacked two villages in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara,
killing several people.
The bandits attacked a mining site at Kuru-kuru village
and also ambushed some people from the neighbouring Jarkuka village as they
mobilised to bring help to Kuru-kuru. A witness, Sadi Musa, said scores of
people were killed at the mining site on Wednesday evening which forced the
miners to flee for safety.
He said when residents from the nearby Jarkuka came
later to join the Kuru-kuru survivors in burying the dead, the gunmen attacked
again, and killed more people. Confirming the incident, the Police Public
Relations Officer, PPRO, in the state, DSP Mohammed Shehu, said “we are aware
of the attack but I cannot give you details now until my commissioner is fully
briefed.”
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