Tension grips Benue University Community, as armed Herders butchers 2

From Attah Ede, Makurdi 

Fear has practically enveloped Antsa community in Makurdi LGA of Benue State, following the gruesome killing of two persons and injuring of six other persons by suspected herders.

Antsa community is sharing  boundary with  the Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (JOSTUM ) and the  Alfred Akawe Torkula Polytechnic, Makurdi.

The victims were reportedly attacked, killed and injured, while at home and place of their businesses, where they sell drinks and cook indomies. 

The suspected armed herders, according to eye witness who spoke on condition of anonymity, gave their victims machete cuts on their heads, neck and other parts of the body 

It was further gathered that the herders had first attacked the university community and killed unknown number of people, before advancing to the community hosting the Akawe Torkula  Polytechnic, where they  left another group of persons dead and some with various degrees of injury.

The eye witness narrated to The Nations News Nigeria in Makurdi that the herders stormed the  communities in the night at about 11pm.

“They said they were Fulani people. Some people were still selling drinks outside and cooking indomie. They used to close late. When they came, they started slaughtering people. 

“Infact, they sliced their body. Those who did not died have been rushed  to the hospital.About six persons had their bodies sliced. One had his finger cut and it was seen on the ground. And they left.

“We also heard they went to CAPS to cut some persons there. Soldiers came that night and was shooting. The boy came out this morning to block the road for hours and burning tyres”.

The Benue State Command Police Public Relations Officer PPRO SP Catherine Anene confirmed the incident.

She however said that six people were injured and are  undertaking treatment at hospital, while no one died.

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the has condemned the attack and killing of innocent people by suspected herders in the State, describing it as saddened and regrettable.

The party said the persistent killings and attacks on Benue communities was as a result of indirect suspension of the Benue State Open Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, 2017.

The party, in a statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Chief Bemgba Iortyom and made available to newsmen in Makurdi, alleged that rather than enforcing the law, the Governor had submitted a Bill before the Benue State House of Assembly seeking to have the law repealed.

“It is alarming that suspected herdsmen can now strike and kill at will in Makurdi, the state capital city, a situation which loudly amplifies the grim fact that nowhere now in Benue State is safe under the watch of Governor Hyacinth Alia.

“PDP calls on Governor Alia to come alive to the reality that Benue is under a siege which is closing in by the day, and he should take advantage of the disposition of the federal government towards stamping out insecurity and flush the killer herdsmen out of the state”, Iyortom said .