From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen have attacked the Abagana Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp on the outskirts of Makurdi the Benue State capital early hours of Tuesday killing seven and injuring others.
The gunmen were said to have stormed the camp at about 2am and started shooting sporadically in all directions while the IDPs who scampered out of their sleep ran for safety.
At the time the dust settled, six were said to have been killed while others who were injured were moved to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) where one other injured victim also died.
Angered by the development, youths in the area were said to have blocked the Makurdi Lafia Highway with the corpses of the victim’s causing a heavy traffic gridlock in the area.
Efforts by the military and other Security personnel to clear the road failed as the youths refused to leave the major road until the Governor, Samuel Ortom arrived there early enough to pacify them.
The Governor, who took time to calm the youths lamented the renewed attacks by Herdsmen in the state saying over 70 people had been killed in the last two weeks.
“Within two weeks we have lost more than 70 people in Makurdi, Guma, Gwer West, and Agatu LGA. This is in addition to what you have seen here today where seven people died and others are in the hospital.
While calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to act fast to stem the tide of continued killings by Herdsmen across the country, Ortom said the patience of the people had been overstretched.
“We are being overstretched and the people are fed up. We all voted President Buhari. He must not continue to be aloof. He must tell us where we are going in this country. This is too much. The body language of the President shows that he is the President of the Fulani people.
“I have written to him on this, yet he has not done anything about it. We are now in a banana republic. This falsehood must stop. The President must address us and not him sending Garba Shehu to address us.
“It is better for me not to be alive than to see this kind of shame. Governors must arise to ensure that state of emergency is declared on security.
“Just like the First Lady, (Aisha Buhari) asked sometimes ago that where are the men in this country? The governors must work hard to salvage this country otherwise, tomorrow we will wake up and there will be no country.
“Goat does not bite but when it is pushed to the wall it would bite. This government is not being proactive,” Ortom said.
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