From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom had again raised the alarm over influx of Fulani herdsmen and their cattle into the state alleging that at least, 15 persons have been killed across four local government areas in the last one week.
This is even as the Commander, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), Maj. Gen. Adeyemi Yekini insisted that there has been no report of killings by herdsmen in the state in the past months.
The governor who spoke to newsmen at the Benue Hotels in Makurdi on Friday listed the affected local government areas to include Guma, Gwer West, Logo and Makurdi. He said although, the killer herdsmen are not settling anywhere in the state, their modus operandi is to come into the state, attack in a guerrilla manner and then retreat.
“As I talk to you, almost every day we have records of killings in the state. Killings are going on in some places within the state.
Three days ago, four people were killed in Gwer West, few days ago, two people were killed right here in Makurdi, also three were killed in Guma and six people were killed in Logo.
“The herdsmen also kidnapped people including livestock guards.
But I am yet to get the total figure of those killed because the council chairmen are yet to give me the details. The governor however commended the efforts of OPWS in curtailing the activities of the herdsmen in the state, stressing that but for the presence of the military spike operation in the state, the situation would have been worse.
But reacting swiftly in a statement yesterday, Commander, OPWS, Maj. Gen. Adeyemi Yekini said that the force did not receive any report of a single killing or even injury inflicted by armed herdsmen on anybody in any part of Benue State in the past several months.
“OPWS has troops in all the areas mentioned including Makurdi and there is no way up to 15 people would be killed without our troops being aware of it. Such a large number of killings would have triggered exodus of people in the affected communities which journalists would have captured almost as they happen,” he said.