Gunmen believed to be herdsmen, armed with sophisticated weapons yesterday invaded Logo Local Government Area of Benue State, killing at least two persons in the process. A resident of Anyiin, headquarters of the local government, who simply identified himself as Mr. Mngutor, told Saturday Telegraph that the suspected Fulani militants, who were in their numbers, blocked the road along Anyiin- Kente and Tseke-Wukari road, in the dusk hours and killed one Mr. Emmanuel Torkule and his friend.
The eyewitness added that the militants also collected five motorcycles from other victims whose whereabouts reports said, are not known at press time. Saturday Telegraph gathered that many people have fled the area for fear of another round of attack and were taking refuge in areas deemed to be safe. Threats of herdsmen further attack on Benue communities have rented the air in recent times, prompting calls on the Federal Government not to withdraw troops of the Operation Whirl-Stroke as villages are still unsafe for the Internally Displaced Persons to return home.
The killing of the two people came as security operatives made up of the police and soldiers in collaboration with the Agatu Local Government Caretaker Chairman in Benue State, Mr. Usman Alilu,arrested 10 herdsmen for violating the state’s anti-open grazing law by grazing their cattle freely on peoples rice farms and destroying them in the process. Also, two canoe paddlers who ferried the herders from neighbouring Nassarawa State across the river to Agatu were apprehended, bringing the number of people arrested to 12.
The herdsmen were seen grazing illegally around the Fadama plain areas of Agatu, where cattle were practically eating rice planted by farmers and other farm produce. Speaking with journalists on the matter, Alilu said he received information about the invasion of Agatu by the herders from residents and immediately swung into action. According to him, when he got the information that the influx of herdsmen around Agatu Fadama land was becoming worrisome and cattle were destroying farmers’ crops at a time that harvest was currently going on, he was restless.
“I was worried when I received the information and quickly directed men of the Operation Whirl-Stroke (OPWS) to get set for action. “I personally supervised and went down to the zone ‘A’ axis of the local government where I and the security operatives have been patrolling almost on a daily basis until today when luck ran out on the culprits and they were arrested immediately.” According to him, the anti-open grazing law of the state, established by Governor Samuel Ortom had come to stay, stressing that he will not allow anyone to violate it hence the arrest of the herdsmen whose activities according to him, were capable of causing unforseen danger. He said he had directed the DPO in Agatu to immediately transfer the herdsmen to Makurdi. The directive he said, was immediately complied with.
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