In Benue: Police arrest 8 Fulani herdsmen over New Year massacre

Police arrests 8 Fulani herdsmen over Benue massacre

Six of the suspects were arrested in Guma, while two were arrested in Logo.

The Benue State Police Command has arrested eight herdsmen in connection to the dozens of people killed in Tiv communities in the state between Sunday, December 31, 2017 and Tuesday, January 2, 2018.

The marauding Fulani herdsmen carried out the devastating attacks in Guma Local Government Area and Logo LGA of the state leaving at least 20 people dead, with other sources claiming about 50 died from the attacks.

According to a statement released by the state's Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Moses Yamu, in Makurdi on Wednesday, December 3, six of the suspects were arrested in Guma, while two were arrested in Logo.

ASP Yamu also gave details of of the locations of the attacks and revealed that security personnel have been deployed to prevent any further attacks.

He said, "They attacked Tomater village in Sengev Council ward, Akor village in Nzorov council ward and Bakin Kwata village in Umanger council ward of Guma LGA.

"Among those killed were seven (7) members of Benue State Livestock Guards, their vehicle burnt and an uncertain number of persons injured in separate attacks between 31/12/2017 and 02/01/2018.

"Again, Agba-Uko near Azege village and Tse-Aga village of Logo LGA experienced the same fate, where one person was killed, one motorcycle burnt and four persons injured.

"All the injured from both LGAs are currently undergoing treatment in various hospitals in the State."

President Buhari blamed for attacks

Many residents of Benue took to the streets of Makurdi on Wednesday to protest against the savage attacks and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to act on the terror of the herdsmen or resign from his position.

On Tuesday, Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom, who is from Guma LGA, had also blamed the Federal Government for the incident.

The governor said the attack was successful due to negligence from the Federal Government who failed to heed to its warnings about the herdsmen.

He said the state had notified the Federal Government of the threat of the herdsmen after they vowed to resist the state's anti-grazing bill which came into effect on November 1, 2017.

"You would recall that I made official reports to the federal government about the intended invasion of Benue State by these herdsmen who claimed that they would resist the (Anti-Grazing) law. I have never seen where people would come out with this level of impunity.

"This is unfortunate; we are living in a country that is presumed to be our own. Security agencies in this country had been aware of the impending attacks and what you are seeing here is just a tip of the iceberg.

"The federal government and President Muhammadu Buhari must rise and give us protection to show that we are truly citizens of this country.

"Though we will continue to urge our people to be law abiding, there is a limit to what we can bear. This is not fair, it is not right and certainly unacceptable," he said.

Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, also criticised President Buhari's silence over the numerous attacks allegedly carried out by herdsmen in the country over the past few years.

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