Herdsmen Kill Policeman, 8 Others In Benue Attack

Nine persons, including a police officer, have been killed in a fresh attack by suspected herdsmen at Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.

Police sources told reporters in Makurdi, the state capital, that the attackers invaded four communities along the Benue border with Kogi State. The communities include Okwutanobe, Okpokpolo, Olegagbani, and Ikpele .

The invaders attacked the communities between last weekend and Tuesday.

Chairman of Agatu Local Government Council, Melvin Ejeh, confirmed the attacks which he said lasted three days.

His words, “The attacks started last Friday at Okwutanobe, where two people were killed, on Saturday, they attacked Okpokpolo and killed one person.

“Yesterday, Monday, the armed herders invaded Olegagbani, where they killed one person; today, the same armed herders attacked Ikpele, where they killed one police officer and four people. As we speak, people are fleeing their homes.

“I can confirm to you that four people were killed in Okwitanobe, Okpokpolo, and Olegugbani while five people, including a police officer, were killed in Ikpele today, Tuesday.

“We totally condemned these attacks, and I think it was a reprisal for their earlier report of cattle rustling in Agatu communities. We are appealing to them to give the government time to investigate the alleged rustling instead of taking the law into their hands.

“You know the roads in Agatu are bad, even when the security men receive distress calls, it can take them up to four hours to navigate some areas due to the bad terrain. By then, the armed herders would have wreaked havoc and left.”

Ejeh, then commended security operatives in the council for their response to contain the attacks, adding however, that the terrain, which was not motorable, posed serious challenges to the operatives in the discharge of their duties.

The Benue State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Udeme Edet, could not confirm the attack as of the time of this report.