Agro Ranger Commander Killed in Gun Battle, as Guards nab armed herdsman In Benue

From Attah Ede, Makurdi

A commander of Agro Ranger of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, James Okoh, has been reportedly killed during a gun battle with group of armed herdsmen at Shaapera community in Gwer West LGA of Benue State.

The NSCDC Command Public Relations Officer (PRO), Superintendent of Corps, Mike Ejelikwu, confirmed this to newsmen in Makurdi, Thursday.

He described the death of the senior officer as one too many, saying this will not deter the command from performing its constitutional mandate of providing security for every law abiding citizens residing within the state.

“NSCDC has specialized squad called the Agro Rangers located across some local government areas including, Gwer West, Logo, Apa, Kwande, Guma, to provide security for Agro allied investment be it animal husbandry, crop production

“However there have been casualties on the part of the militia but we lost only one agro ranger whom, incidentally was the commander of the operation. The command is in touch with families and commiserate with them over the loss”, he said.

Meanwhile, a relative of the late agro ranger, Mike Okoh said his brother was tortured and brutally killed in Shaapera village in Gwer East LG.

He lamented that this type of killing is becoming too much to bear and called on the state government to intervene in the situation.

While noting that the body of the officer has be taken to the mortuary at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, the family was told that James Okoh went for a special assignment at shaapera village in Gwerwest LGA of the State.

“it was there that they engaged the herders in gun battle. they confirmed that they were able to kill up to 10 of herders but unfortunately one of the four civil defence men who happened to be my brother was gun down and others escaped.

“I further asked for the remains of the herders, but said they didn’t bothered anymore while they left the scene with own colleague. But the commandant says they are investigating”, he said.

In a related development, the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards, has arrested one armed herder with a locally fabricated pistol after encroaching a farm land with his cattle, behind modern Market in Agbo community of Makurdi local government area of the State.

The Nations News Nigeria reports that the arrest of this herder, came barely 24 hours that the commander of Agro Rangers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, James Ode, was killed in Shaapera community during operation by armed herdsmen in Gwer west local government area of Benue state.

Parading the suspect at the premises of Benue state community volunteer Guard in Makurdi, Special Adviser to the Governor on Security and Internal Affairs, Chief Joseph Har, said the suspect has committed an act which violates the law on open grazing having encroached on peoples farm.

“I got a distress call from Agbo community behind Modern market by the River bank where the people usually farmed, that herders came to graze on their land and in the cause of trying to ask them to stop grazing, one of them (herders), drew out a gun, luckily they over power him and apprehended him

He thanked the people for not taking laws into their hands, he assured that the suspect would be handed over to the attorney general and commissioner for justice and public order for prosecution in accordance with the law.

On his part, the Commander of the State Community Volunteer Guards, Capt Ayuma Ajovbi, (Rtd), stated that what just happened is a demonstration of the guards motto, “when you see something, say something” while thanking the informant who swiftly passed the information to the security adviser who in turn informed the guards, which led to the quick arrest of the suspect by men of Volunteer Guards.

He said after preliminary investigation, the suspect will be handed to the appropriate authority, which is the attorney general who will now decide on what to do.

The suspected armed herder who spoke in his local dialect, and later interpreted said, it was his brother who strayed into people’s farm near the river at Agbo community and when he tried to intervened, the people came after him and during their search they discover the pistol with him.

“I just bought from someone who gave me one ammunition and the person was planning to come teach me how to use it”, he said.