It was indeed a bloody Easter celebration in Benue State as armed Fulani militants on Friday night, launched a deadly attack in Governor Samuel Ortom’s local government at Ngban in Nyiev ouncil ward of Guma Local Government Area, killing more than 38 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
The killings came less than 72 hours after the militants invaded Umogidi community in Enterkpa ward of Otukpo Local Government Area of the state where they left 51 people dead. Sunday Telegraph gathered that those massacred in the latest attack in Guma were mostly women as well as children below one year. Hordes of local inhabitants have been displaced due to the attack, while 38 persons who sustained injuries were taken to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) for treatment. Food barns stuffed as food items ready for this year’s cropping season were set ablaze.
The District Head of Nyiev, Chief Bernard Shawa, who lost two of his children to the attack said the invaders set ablaze food barns and some vehicles; while Chairman of Guma Local Government Area, Dr. Mike Uta, the community had come under attack several times, stressing that the Friday’s attackers invaded the area through neighbouring Nasarawa State. Governor Samuel Ortom who also visited the scene of the attack, condemned it describing it as sad and painful. The governor lamented that the continued attacks and killings of his people prompted the enactment of the Law prohibiting open grazing of livestock and the need for the people to adopt ranching as the best global practice of animal husbandry.
He acknowledged receipt of a condolence message from President Mohammadu Buhari condemning the killings and urged him to deploy security agencies to the state to smoke out the terrorists to enable the people have peace.
“On my way here, I saw the condolence message of Mr. President, his sympathy message to the people, I commend him. But it shouldn’t just be sending condolence messages, his instructions to security agencies that these perpetrators, these terrorists Fulani herdsmen must be smoked out must be carried out”.
Governor Ortom promised to assist take over the treatment of all those injured as well as give a mass burial to those killed in the attack.
