Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen on Tuesday and Wednesday shot to death about forty-nine persons in Umogidi community in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, among them, the son of Bako Ejeh, the council chairman.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman, Otukpo LGA, Bako Ejeh, who said his son, brother-in-law and nephew were among those that lost their lives to the unfortunate incident also pointed out that scores were still missing.
Also confirming the incident, Lt. Col Paul Hembah (rtd), Special Adviser on Security Matters to Governor Samuel Ortom, said 46 persons lost their lives to the attack on Wednesday alone.
Although, the Benue State Command of the Nigeria police also confirmed the attack on the community, it said its men have recovered only eight bodies, among them a police officer.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Command, SP Sewuese Anene, said, “More police teams have been deployed to the area to forestall further breakdown of law and order.”
However, Hembah said, “I can confirm to you that there was an attack in Umogidi and as at this morning, the causality figure from those who were seen physically from what I was told were 46.
“But, the figure may rise higher because some people are still reported missing. Police have been deployed and soldiers sent there to assist. For now, the situation is calm.
“The local government chairman is from that community and unfortunately, he too lost his 33-year-old son. It’s a very tragic and painful incident.
“I spoke to the Brigade Commander, 401 Special Forces Brigade, he sent soldiers and they are there. So the security situation, for now, is calm,” he said.
He noted that he, in company of the Deputy Governor, Engr. Benson Abounu, would visit the area for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation, to ascertain the level of damage caused by the attacks.
However, Daily Independent learnt that the herdsmen had killed their victims in two separate attacks on the same community.
It was learnt from the community that during the first attack on Wednesday, the assailants had killed three persons, while the herders killed the rest at a burial ceremony organised by the community to bury the three persons, they earlier killed.
He explained that while the villagers were burying the three persons that were earlier killed on Tuesday, the gunmen invaded the village again on Wednesday in the course of the burial and started shooting sporadically into the crowd of mourners.
Narrating the incident, Ejeh said, “The herdsmen came back and invaded the village again at about 4:15p.m yesterday (Wednesday) and 46 persons including my own son were killed.
“We just buried his corpse and some other people are still missing. We don’t know their whereabouts.
“My immediate younger sister, same mother and father, they killed her husband, killed her second son of about 38 years old.
“Secretary, Benue State chapter of Myetti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association (MACBAN), Ibrahim Galma, has stated that members of his association were not responsible for the attacks, adding that MACBAN does not have control over herders in the area.”
Galma, who was reacting to the incident, said, “Truly, the herders who are there are not cooperating with us. We don’t even know where they come from and everybody claims they don’t know those herders.
“I can’t identify where they are coming from. It would be too difficult for me to say something I don’t know anything about. The people we can identify, we have control over them.
“The security (agencies) are in charge of making surveillance to identify the people who are there and what is happening there.
“Since February, we have been hearing about the things around Adoka, Apa and Agatu areas, but we can’t identify where they are coming from. It’s very difficult for us to call them to order because we don’t know who they are”, Galma lamented.
