Many people have been killed in the Oturkpo Local Government Area, Benue State, as gunmen attacked the area early Sunday.
The attack, suspected to have been carried out by armed herdsmen, came weeks after the killing of the state chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ardo Risku.
According to media reports, the attacks began on Saturday when suspected herders invaded Akpachi village in Ugboju community, killing two residents and injuring several others.
Reports say that the attackers struck again in the early hours of Sunday, invading Otukpo-Nobi, where at least eight more people were killed.
Some reports on the incident said the number casualities rose to 16.
Following the incident, rotests erupted in Otukpo with angry youths, who marched to the palace of the Och’Idoma, calling for urgent intervention from the government and security agencies to halt the recurring violence in Benue South.
Governor Hyacinth Alia, who reacted to the incident, described the attacks as “a barbaric and inhuman assault on the sanctity of life and the collective soul of the people of Benue State.”
Governor Alia’s reacted in a statement issued on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula.
Alia said the attacks occurred between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. when suspected armed herdsmen invaded Akpachi village while residents were asleep.
He said the assailants killed scores of people and left many others with varying degrees of injuries.
“These acts of mindless bloodshed are a direct attempt to sabotage the progress of our state,” he said.
“My government stands firmly with you, and we will not allow our communities to be turned into killing fields.”
The governor directed security agencies to intensify surveillance and patrols across the affected communities and border areas, to work with neighbouring states, and to ensure that those responsible are arrested and prosecuted.
He also urged residents to support security agencies with credible intelligence.
“We urge every citizen to cooperate with the police and military by providing timely and credible intelligence. Security is a collective responsibility, and your information is a vital tool in our defence,” he said.
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