Armed herdsmen with over a thousand Cattle have invaded four villages in Benue state.
The villages are Negev, Yonov, Turan and Tombo; in Logo as well as communities in Guma and Buruku Local Government Areas, LGAs of Benue state.
Reports says the herdsmen were seen marching into the communities with over a thousand cattle from neighbouring Taraba state, having destroyed large cassava farms and yam seedlings in the affected communities.
A source in the community lamented that the armed herders with thousands of their Cattle invaded the community around 8pm on February 20th and have taken over several villages.
According to the source, the herdsmen arrived Tse Ikyegh in Yonov Council Ward of Logo Local Government Area, LGA, with over a thousand cows and settled beside the Logo stream stressing that the invasion by the armed herders has also become a serious threat to the neighbouring communities in Buruku and Guma local government areas.
“The invaders crossed River Benue to settle at Tse Azaye, Tse Agah, Tse Getim and Tse Iosun all in Tombo council ward,” he said.
The source said the villagers upon sighting them started packing their things out of fear as the herdsmen seemed very hostile.
“They warned that any attempt to evict them either by the host community or government agencies would invoke their anger and they would be left with no option than result to physical and open confrontation”, he said.
The latest invasion comes amid renewed threat to enforce anti-open grazing law by the state government under Governor Samuel Ortom.
