Again, herdsmen kill 4, injure many others in fresh attack in 2 LGs of  Benue

From Attah Ede, Makurdi 

Suspected Armed Fulani Herdsmen have again invaded two communities in Agatu and Apa Local Government Areas of Benue State, killing four persons and injured so many others.

The Network gathered that the attacks took place simultaneously yesterday (Monday) at about 5:30pm, which also left several people displaced.

This latest attack is coming barely one week after the armed herders launched coordinated attacks on Tse-Antswam in Naka town,Gwer West and Edikwu Ankpali community in Apa local government area of the state respectively, killing over 58 persons and displaced over 18,000 persons.

The fresh attacks also occurred two days after the leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria(MACBAN), Benue State chapter, alleged that a total of 1,185 cattle belonging to their members were stolen by rustlers in some  communities in Agatu and Guma local government areas of the State.

An eyewitness in Agatu LGA who spoke  on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent on phone, that one Sunday Dutse, a native of Odejo and younger brother to a former chairman of Agatu, was killed along the Odugbeho-Ogbaulu road in the local government.

He explained that Dutse was reportedly displaced after armed herders invaded  his community and relocated to Ogwule-Kaduna, also in Agatu LGA where he is currently residing before he was killed yesterday.

But another source told our correspondent that the killing that took place yesterday in Agatu local government area wasn’t herdsmen attack, rather an internal fight.

“The Monday killing was not as a result of herdsmen attack. It was a case of internal wrangling. The young man who was killed yesterday, was inside a vehicle in the midst of other people where they were ambushed.

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He was specifically dragged down out of the vehicle by some armed persons wearing masks. You know Fulani can’t wear it when they are coming to attack you. 

“So, amongst the nine of them inside the vehicle, the armed guys only Dutse and left the other people unhurt. So, we are having an internal crisis in Agatu now.

“No Fulani herdsman can come to Agatu and kill any Agatu person for now. This is what happened in Agatu between Monday and today being Tuesday”, he said.

At Apa local government area, the armed herders ambushed and killed three persons.

It was gathered that they first killed two youths in Edikwu ’Icho a community and went further to kill one other youth in Ugbokpo.

Efforts to speak with both Agatu and Apa local government councils chairmen on Tuesday morning, was unsuccessful as their cell phones were all switched off and had gone to attend joint account and allocation committee meeting at the Bureau for local government and chieftaincy affairs, Makurdi.

Meanwhile, the Benue State command police public relations officer PPRO DSP Udeme Edet could not be reached for comment as she could not answer a call put across to cell phone at the time of filing this report.