Former Senate President David Mark has once again expressed deep concern over the continued and escalating killings of citizens in Benue State.
In a statement by his media aide, Paul Mumeh, in Abuja, Mark warned that the situation may compel residents to resort to self-help and defend themselves if the government fails to protect lives and property.
He decried the deteriorating security situation in Benue, which has led to the loss of hundreds of lives and widespread destruction of property.
He described the killings as “senseless, tragic, and unacceptable.”
He emphasised that the primary responsibility of any government is the welfare and security of its citizens.
According to him, any deviation from this mandate constitutes a gross disservice to the people.
“This is the unfortunate reality the Benue people are confronted with. Government must rise to its responsibility, or risk leaving the people with no option but to defend themselves,” he said.
Senator Mark urged the federal government to fulfil its constitutional obligation to safeguard the lives and property of all Nigerians.
He also called on the state government, under the leadership of Governor Hyacinth Alia, to intensify its efforts in ensuring the safety of the people.
In addition, the former Senate President appealed to traditional rulers, community leaders, and stakeholders to remain vigilant and cooperate fully with security agencies in identifying and apprehending those behind these heinous crimes.
To the people of Benue, Senator Mark offered a message of solidarity and resilience.
“This is a trying moment for our people,” he said. “We must unite, mobilise, and speak with one voice against the invaders. We must refuse to bow to fear.”
Despite the ongoing provocations, he urged the people to remain law-abiding, stay united, and uphold the enduring spirit of being their brothers’ keeper.
Thirty-three persons have been killed by suspected herdsmen in attacks on Gwer West and Apa local government areas of Benue State, leaving many residents missing as the affected communities begin headcounts yesterday morning.
Of the 33, 16 persons were killed in Edikwu and Ankpali communities from the neighbouring Apa Local Government Area, leaving many people killed.
About 7pm on Sunday, residents of Tse-Antswam in Naka, the headquarters of Gwer West Local Government Area were attacked by suspected herdsmen, leaving 17 people dead, as others fled for their lives.
A community leader, Patrick Modoom, confirmed the figures on television via telephone.“
Modoom added: “Many people are still missing as headcount is being carried out, with many others displaced into the primary school where police personnel from the town and vigilantes are providing security.
“This attack happened not too far from the military checkpoint from Naka but not a single response from the military when we raised alarm about the attack, leaving our people vulnerable while the attack lasted.’’
But the Chairman of Gwer Council, Ormin Victor, said 16 persons were killed. The gunmen, he said, stormed the town from around the Rice Mill, shooting sporadically, before attacking the people.
An eyewitness, Terna Abeva, told The Nation that he heard gunshots about 7:30pm, opposite Naka Earth Dam, took his two children and wife and ran into the bush until normalcy returned.
Another eyewitness, Igbabee Akange said the gunmen stormed Naka from the Naka-Makurdi Road about 8pm, and shot many people dead.
Akange said he heard the sound of guns towards Makurdi Road between 7 and 8pm, but managed to escape from the scene of the attack.
Gwer West has 15 council wards, with 14 of them affected by herdsmen attacks, leaving Naka town as the safe place to run but the Sunday night’s attack has compromised public safety at the local government area headquarters.
Meanwhile, the Youths Association of Kula, Tse-Orbiam, Agagbe axis, has called for the withdrawal of troops from Gwer West communities.
The youths called for a community-based security outfit.
In a statement, the leader of the youth, M. T. Ugbede, said soldiers had failed them as despite their presence, harmless villagers are killed daily by suspected herdsmen.
The Police Public Relations Officer Edet Edeme, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, who confirmed the incident, said the Commissioner of Police had deployed a tactical squad to the area to restore normalcy.
Many persons were feared killed while others sustained gunshot wounds following an attack by suspected herdsmen on Tse Akenyi Agan council ward, Makurdi Local Government Area, Benue State.
The attack occurred on Thursday while activities marking the second anniversary of Governor Hyacinth Alia were ongoing at IBB Square in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
Agan is located on the Makurdi-Lafia federal highway and is home to thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by herdsmen attacks on communities in Guma and Makurdi local government areas.
The attack, which took place in broad daylight, saw many people running for dear lives.
There was tension and fear, forcing the Executive Chairman of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Dr. James Iorpuu, to abandon activities marking the second anniversary of Governor Alia and rushed to the Abagana IDPs camp to ensure their safety.
The invaders stormed Tse Akenyi, shooting sporadically at residents, mostly peasant farmers.
A resident who escaped the attack, Peter Iorbee, told The Nation “this is the second time suspected herdsmen have attacked the settlement.”
Iorbee stated that some people were shot and killed on their farms while others were missing.
The Executive Chairman of SEMA, Dr. James Iorpuu, said: “I heard fake news that herdsmen attacked the IDPs camp in Abagana, so I rushed to the camp only to discover that it was truly fake.”
Tse Akenyi is a settlement located within the IDPs camp, in Camp Abagana, Makurdi Local Government area.
The Benue Police Command confirmed the incident, saying that an investigation had commenced.
Benue State must be saved from the barbarism of foreigners
It is an emergency in the local communities, if the rest of the country does not feel it. But the story as told by the governor of Benue State should generate empathy enough.
Bandits are overrunning citizens and the homes they have known since antiquity. They cannot move, breathe and have their beings in places that have conferred on them the legitimacy as natives.
These bandits come like barbarous hordes, fully armed with AK-47 and AK-49. They don’t carry the visage or the accent of any Nigerian. Hear the governor of the state describe them: “They don’t speak what we speak,” he intoned. “Their Hausa is one sort of Hausa, not the normal Hausa we Nigerians speak.”
Citizens who have seen them and heard them are authentic witnesses of the attacks, and they say they are Malians.
“They come in as they kill, as they maim, as they push people away. They just keep killing, and then they run back,” said Governor Hyacinth Alia.
When they lay siege to a number of villages, they betray savage readiness and willingness to take anything “walking or breathing out.” Anything or anyone on their way is not spared.
In a recent onslaught, as the governor narrates it, “by morning, 72 deaths were confirmed—29 in Ukum, 27 in Logo, three in Katsina-Ala, and others in hospitals—along with countless injuries.
‘’They grab the land, they chase the people out, and they stay in the land. That’s what’s going on because there are some local governments here, and these people have occupied them in the last 15 years.
“These occupied areas serve as bases for repeated attacks. Those are the areas you hear of constant attacks, because they hit and then they go back into the local government hinterlands.’’
One of the big consequences of these activities drew a dire warning from the state’s chief executive.
“The attackers also target food security, with herders in their group destroying stored crops. They would now open the barns, destroy the food, cut the yams and whatever. They cut the guinea corn and maize and throw them to the cows to eat.”
Benue will no longer be known as the food basket of the nation, if this persists. They are also grazing on the farmlands while their victims are in internally displaced people’s (IDP) camps.
The fraught local government areas include Ukum, Logo, Katsina-Ala, Kwande, Guma and Gwer west. Some of the communities have fallen to these cruel bands for up to 15 years. In Plateau State, the governor said 62 communities are under their control.
The uniformed men and women seem overstretched. So, the locals, rooted in the sentiment and history of those places, want to protect “our turf.”
This hits straight not only at the survival of these communities but the livelihoods of many Nigerians outside the state.
It is therefore urgent not only to protect these Nigerians but to flush out these interlopers who have colonised the legitimate homes of our fellow citizens.
The decision to take urgent steps was emphasised by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun. He wants to deploy the Police Mobile Force (PMF) for intervention in the trouble spots. But he has raised an important issue about the abuse of these forces by VIPs.
“The foundational mandate of the force has been compromised over time. A significant number of PMF personnel are deployed as escorts, guards or aides to private individuals and VIPs. This diversion weakens our capacity to respond where needed most,” said Egbetokun.
“Effective immediately, each PMF squadron must maintain at least one fully equipped, combat-ready unit on standby for tactical interventions,” he emphasised.
We hope that the Benue emergency will be treated as such.
Vow to discontinue treatment until bills are settled
One week after they narrowly escaped death in the hands of murderous herdsmen, many survivors in Logo Local Government Area of Benue State have been left to their own fate. The various hospitals where they are admitted have vowed to discontinue treatment over non-payment of bills. INNOCENT DURU reports that the survivors’ predicaments require urgent attention by the government and other eminent indigenes of the state.
A Yershima Tyokombo, a native of Mbater Council Ward in Logo Local Government Area of Benue State, escaped death by a whisker last weekend as blood thirsty assailants suspected to be herders invaded the agrarian community and turned their day into night.
Yershima woke up that fateful day full of life and very hopeful that the day would bring good things for him and his household.
But his hope of a bright and shiny day fizzled out when some gun trotting herders invaded the community and made a mess of the day for the entire community.
The invaders fired gunshots and attacked anyone that crossed their path with machetes. At the end of the day, no fewer than 27 people, according to the figures released by the police, were gruesomely murdered with countless others maimed.
Yershima narrowly escaped death with bullet wounds and with two of fingers cut off.
“He was in his house when the herders attacked him. He was shot and also cut with machete on his head and his body. They also cut off two of his fingers,” his wife, who was with him at Live Clinic Ugba where he was receiving treatment, said.
Although Yershima’s condition is said to be stable after receiving some treatments, his full recovery hangs in the balance as the management of the clinic has threatened to discontinue treatment until he pays for drugs and other items used for his treatment.
“We have not paid any money for his treatment since he was admitted here,” the wife said, adding that they have no means of settling the bills.
Terver, another survivor receiving treatment in the clinic, has deep cuts on his head and back. Like Yershima, he has also not made any payment for his treatment and risks not getting further medical help.
An official of the clinic, who spoke in confidence, put bills incurred by Yershima and Terver in the last one week at N260,000 and N150,000 respectively.
“They have not paid their bills and nobody has come to say he or she will offset their bills,” the official said.
Asked if the patients will be discharged without payment, he said: “We will not allow them to go home if they fail to settle their bills. It is not possible.
“The drugs and other things we used for their treatment are very expensive.”
Findings showed that besides Live Clinic, three survivors were also admitted at Kusugh Clinic where the director has also insisted that the patients would not be discharged until their bills are settled.
The director in charge of the clinic, Kusugh Victor, told our correspondent that the patients were responding to treatment, “but nobody has paid any money for their treatment. Not even a visit. Nobody visited them. Nobody has come to our facility to greet them.”
He put the bill for one of the survivors, Apake Joseph, at N667,000.
“The other patient’s bill is N287,000. Then the last one is N220,000. We can’t discharge them without payment.
“No, it is not possible. We are not running a charity organisation.
“They are not good to go home yet. Their going back home depends on how the healing fares.
“The bills do not include their food. The families are bringing food for them.”
The clinic director added that Apake needs a referral because he needs special attention. “He suffered a compound fracture on the hand. He needs to be referred to a specialist hospital. It can lead to even amputation if not quickly attended to,” the director said.
Another clinic where survivors are receiving treatment is Maranatha Poly Clinic, Ugba.
There, a young nurse who spoke with our correspondent said the patients had not made any payment. “No government official has made any deposit for their treatment. The clinic has been treating them with its own resources. They will not be allowed to go if they fail to pay at the end of the day.
“They are responding to treatment, but I can’t tell you when they will be discharged.”
She added that one of the patients with gunshot wounds, Orbeega Mbaliga, had a bill of N75,000 to settle while Sooter Ubaver, being treated for cutlass wounds, needed to pay the sum of N90,000.
Last week, the state governor, Hyacinth Alia, promised to take care of the burial and medical bills of the victims admitted in hospitals.
Explaining why the above survivors were not captured in the governor’s promise, National President of Ugondo Youths Association, Shim Gabriel Msuega, said: “The people that had their bills paid were those whose names were written down before the governor came.
“Unfortunately, the governor didn’t move round the clinics within town to know that there were other survivors. The people in these three hospitals are not on that list.”
Shim said as the youth leader, “I’ve tried my best possible. I even went to the legislative council to have a chat with them so that they would reach out to the chairman so that he could reach out to the governor.
“Mind you, we’re talking about human lives now. Something urgent needs to be done to safe these people’s lives.”
‘How herders murdered our relations’
The bloody attack on Logo last weekend will not be forgotten in a hurry by the embattled people, especially the bereaved.
Some of them who spoke with The Nation said they were still traumatised by the incident.
A bereaved member of the community, who gave his name simply as Henry, said: “Four of my relatives were killed by the herders. I was on the farm, and they were at home.
“The moment I heard the gunshots, I took to my heels.”
He added that there was no compensation to the families of the bereaved.
“The state government only gave N300,000 to each person that lost relations. The transportation cost from the local government area and the mortuary and the making of the casket to the place consumed the whole money.
“We got N1,200,000 for the four relatives that were killed. ”
Even after the incident, Henry said: “We always have messages that they are coming back. Soldiers are not in Logo again. We only have policemen who always try their best.”
Another bereaved person, Jacobs, said he lost three of his family members during the attack.
He said “The deceased persons were my first cousins. I was very close to the house in a coastal area, trying to access water when the attackers came.
“I had a gunshot at home. Trying to see what was going on, I realised there were strangers within. There were invaders in our community.
“So I had to scamper into safety. I had to find a way out. That was how I was able to escape.
“Unfortunately, three of my relatives fell victims. It was when I returnedhome that I saw their dead bodies.”
Jacobs regretted that no measure had been put in place to curtail the attack.
He said: “Up until this moment, if the marauders decide to come in again, they can possibly come in without any hitch.
“There won’t be any obstacles for them because we have positive security agencies around us.
“Even the ones that are around, just very few of them are motivated to possibly intervene just to protect the communities.”
He hinted that “almost all the affected communities right now are in various IDP camps scattered across the local government headquarters in Ugba, which is the local government headquarters.”
Also speaking on how the marauders struck, the youth leader, Shim, said: “It started in the morning. They were just shooting at people.
“The assailants were more in number than the security agents in the local government. They had to ask for reinforcement from the state, including civil defence.
“They also invited the security team at Awashua.
“It was only those who are on official records that were taken to hospital.
“There were people that were thought to be dead, and when they discovered they were not dead in the mortuary were taken to different hospitals.
“Nothing has been done to assist those people as we speak. I am still agitating and calling many people to join hands to help the family.”
Continuing, he said: “We started to experience their coming, but we didn’t know exactly what they were coming for.
“They stayed close to Ukum Local Government Area called Gbagi. They killed a lot of people in Ukum.
“We don’t know the precise number of people killed. Even in my local government area, we did not know.
“The only recorded corpses were the very ones taken to the mortuary by security agencies.
“There were about 15 corpses and I have their names. These exclude those whose bodies could not be picked and the people their families buried without records.”
Shim added that the community was still discovering more corpses in the bushes even yesterday (Wednesday).
“We have had this issue here for so many times. This very one comes from the three council wards.
“The affected areas within this period now are the ones that share borders with Ukum Local Government Area. The attack was on Saturday.”
Bereaved people in Ukum relive ordeal
Prior to the attack on Logo, the assailants had launched a deadly attack on Ukum Local Government Area where the state government officially said 28 people were killed.
Findings revealed that the community has turned into a ghost town after the incident as the people have fled to neighbouring towns.
One of the bereaved community members, Zungwenen Nenshi, said his father was the first to be killed by the criminals.
His words: “On that fateful Friday, the herders killed my father, a very old man.
“He made an attempt to run when the herders invaded our community but he could not run fast. They shot and killed him in the process of trying to escape.
“We buried him and about 11 other people they killed in our area on that day. We buried him without a coffin. He was buried naked.
“We were at home when the herders struck and had to start running to avoid being caught by the killers. “Unfortunately, my father could not run as fast as we did.”
Zungwenen added: “We fled Ukum after the incident. I am in Zaki Biam as I am talking to you now. I left the community with my entire family.
“We have been suffering a great deal since we ran to this place. We don’t have water to drink.
“I can’t go back to Ukum now because tension is still very high in the area.
“How can I think of going back to such an environment? I left everything I have behind in Ukum. I can’t even go there to pick foodstuffs for my family to eat.
“There is nobody in the area as I am talking with you. Everybody has escaped to avoid another calamity.
“We keep hearing that the herders are coming back. You can’t be hearing that and plan to go back home.
“When you have experienced danger before, you will not go back to the same place to experience it the second time.”
Also narrating his ordeal, another bereaved person, Hange David, said: “I lost two of my brothers to the bloody attack by herders.
“They invaded our community very early in the morning. They were just shooting indiscriminately when they came.
“We ran away after the incident. Life has not been easy for us since we fled our community.
“I am not going back to Ukum for now.”
Benue govt, Senator yet to respond
The Benue State government was yet to respond to our inquiry as at the time of filing this report.
Solomon Iorpev, the Technical Adviser on Media, Publicity and Strategic Communications to the state governor was yet to respond to our questions on the predicament of the survivors at press time.
Efforts to also get the reaction of Senator Emmanuel Memga Udende,the lawmaker representing the area in the National Assembly were also unsuccessful.
His line was busy when our correspondent called.
He however was yet to respond to our enquiries sent via text message and WhatsApp.
The WhatsApp info returned with two blue marks indicating the message was delivered and read.
Eleven persons have been reportedly killed in Afia, Ukum Local Government Area in Benue State.
The incident coincided with the visit by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Enugu Ribadu, who was on fact-finding mission with a message from Mr. President.
Unconfirmed report said the bandits stormed Afia settlement, set houses ablaze, killed 11 persons, including the NKST Pastor and his wife.
The news of the killing filtered into Banquet Hall of Government House, Makurdi, where Governor Hyacinth Alia and his visitor Ribadu, were holding a meeting to find lasting solutions to the killings.
The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has pledged full support for the Benue State Government’s efforts to develop a comprehensive film policy and strengthen the state’s creative ecosystem.
The commitment was made by the Executive Director, Dr. Shaibu Husseini, during a visit by a delegation from Benue State, led by Ambassador David Allgreen Eiase, Consultant on Film Development, to the NFVCB headquarters in Abuja.
Receiving the delegation, Shaibu, who is also the chief executive of the Board, commended Benue State for its intentional shift toward film development, especially with the establishment of a dedicated Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Creativity.
He described the move as a forward-thinking step in recognizing the value of the creative economy, particularly for youth engagement and empowerment.
Dr. Husseini emphasized the importance of building a clear, functional film policy that will serve as a roadmap for the growth of the industry in Benue State. He assured the delegation of the Board’s readiness to provide technical support and guidance in policy formulation, regulatory framework, and institutional strengthening.
As part of the broader collaboration, Husseini proposed the establishment of a Benue State Film Office—a strategic hub that would facilitate production support, access to grants, local talent sourcing, and regulatory services.
He noted that such offices have proven successful in other states by attracting investments, reducing production costs, and fostering a thriving film environment.
He further expressed the Board’s commitment to capacity building, particularly for emerging producers and distributors.
Thousands of protesters, led by the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria, marched on major roads leading to the National Assembly and Supreme Court on Monday to voice their opposition to the ongoing judicial crisis in Benue State.
The protesters called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take swift action to resolve the crisis and ensure justice is served. They also urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, to urgently intervene and remove corrupt judges from the judiciary.
The demonstration, which saw participation from civil society organizations, human rights groups, and concerned citizens, featured placards and banners condemning the alleged manipulation of the Benue State Local Government Election Tribunal by politicians.
Speaking to the press during the protest, the Chief Convener of the coalition, Comrade Igwe Ude-Umanta, accused Justice Maurice Ikpambese, the Chief Judge of Benue State, of unlawfully granting a waiver to petitioners of the Local Government Election Tribunal. This action was said to violate the constitutional requirement for a security deposit.
The group also alleged that relocating the tribunal to Abuja by the State Chief Judge was in direct violation of Benue State’s electoral laws.
They expressed disappointment over the National Judicial Council’s (NJC) failure to take action against Ikpambese despite formal petitions regarding his judicial misconduct in the state.
According to Ude-Umanta, “The judiciary is the bedrock of any democracy, but today, it has become more politicised than registered political parties.
“How can a Chief Judge flagrantly abuse his office and the NJC remains silent?”
The coalition also frowned at the order of Justice M.M. Adamu of the FCT High Court compelling the Benue State Local Government Election Tribunal to sit in Abuja, despite a previous court order restraining the tribunal from sitting outside Benue State.
The coalition then urged Justice Kekere-Ekun to act swiftly in purging corrupt elements from the judiciary.
It also called on President Tinubu to intervene, warning that the Benue judiciary crisis could undermine public trust in the legal system.
The protesters alleged threats of police intimidation but commended the FCT Commissioner of Police for ensuring orderliness.
Ude-Umanta vowed that the coalition will relent adding that they will continue their agitation until justice is restored.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that Governor Hyacinth Iornem Alia of Benue State has, within the past twenty-one months in office, made significant strides, especially in the areas of education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, humanitarian services, women and youth empowerment, as well as security among other critical sectors.
Governor Alia, who assumed the mantle of leadership as the elected Governor of Benue State on 29th May 2023, had made it clear to the citizens of the state his intention to accord priority attention to these areas and many others, aiming to improve the well-being of the citizens, especially the less privileged, in addition to uplifting their socio-economic status.
Governor Alia deserves to be celebrated by all well-meaning people of Benue State for his unwavering commitment to improving the living standard of the people, especially at the grassroots level, with the aim of taking the state to greater heights. A recent visit to the state reveals that Governor Alia has transformed Benue State, as evidenced by numerous achievements recorded across various sectors, including security, infrastructure, education, healthcare, and the economy.
In the area of infrastructure development, Governor Alia has successfully constructed several roads within the Makurdi metropolis, alongside underpass projects aimed at reducing traffic congestion and improving road safety. He has also renovated several government buildings and infrastructure across the state.
Governor Alia’s administration has demonstrated its commitment to transforming Benue State and improving the lives of its citizens. These achievements are a testament to the governor’s vision and leadership.
First and foremost, he believes education is the bedrock of any meaningful development, which is why he has prioritized rejuvenating the sector to ensure the provision of quality education from primary or basic levels up to tertiary levels.
Additionally, the Governor has initiated a commendable policy to pay the examination fees for all students in government-approved public secondary schools in the state sitting for the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO) examinations. This gesture has been widely acclaimed in the state and is viewed by many as both revolutionary and a hallmark of visionary leadership.
The Governor was reported to have donated computers to the Benue State University Computer-Based Test (CBT) center to enhance learning. He awarded scholarships to no fewer than 44 first-class graduates of Benue State University to support their further studies. Furthermore, he established a University of Agriculture, Science, and Technology at Ihugh in Vandeikya and opened a Benue State University campus at Adikpo (Faculty of Technology), among other significant accomplishments.
In the health sector, Governor Alia has made tremendous achievements, notably rejuvenating the Benue State University Teaching Hospital and upgrading healthcare facilities across the state. This is part of his administration’s commitment to ensuring that the citizens have access to quality healthcare and improving healthcare delivery services statewide. The opening of the Muhammadu Buhari Mother and Child Hospital has reduced maternal mortality rates and provides prompt and high-quality healthcare services to women and children under the age of five.
The reconstruction and modernisation of the Benue State House of Assembly Complex, with modern facilities, and the initiation and completion of the remodeling of the Benue State House of Assembly Clinic, equipped with state-of-the-art amenities to ensure quality healthcare for officials and staff, also deserve mention.
The construction of strategic roads within the Makurdi metropolis, Gboko, and other parts of the state, along with the construction of flyovers and underpasses in Makurdi and Gboko local governments, and the installation of streetlights, are commendable projects. These initiatives will significantly ease the movement of people, goods, and services, facilitating and enhancing economic development in the state.
Governor Hyacinth Alia’s key interventions in the tertiary education sector and the implementation of policies to improve education standards in the state have continued to receive priority attention since he assumed office.
Women and youth empowerment is another sector where Governor Alia has excelled, enabling numerous women and youth to become self-reliant and contribute to the economic growth and development of both the state and Nigeria at large.
Since taking office, Governor Alia has focused on grassroots development, implementing policies tailored to meet the needs of the state’s residents without favoritism. Despite his identity as a Christian and a Reverend Father, he has garnered the respect and support of the Muslim community by ensuring equal treatment for all religions.
His commendable leadership and numerous accomplishments were recognized when Leadership Newspaper awarded him the title of “Governor of the Year” on March 5, 2024.
Additionally, the peace and stability currently experienced throughout Benue State can be attributed to the collaborative efforts of security agencies, which have been significantly bolstered by Governor Alia’s untiring support.
Without mincing words, I can confidently say that Governor Alia is a remarkable success and a unique gift to the people of Benue State during this critical moment.
The death toll from the suspected herdsmen attacks on Imande Gbeihwa and Dikpo in shitile kpav, Katsina Ala Local Government Area of Benue State have risen to 20 persons.
On Saturday, rampaging herdsmen attacked boundary communities in Turan, Kwande, Dikpo and Gberihwa Katsina Ala, Ukum, and Ayilamo in Logo local government areas.
Houses were set ablaze, property worth millions of naira destroyed and vandalised.
On Sunday, the death toll from Shitile Kpav rose to 20 after more bodies were found in the bush.
Addressing members of his constituency, the lawmaker representing Ukum, Logo and Katsina Ala Federal constituency at the House of Representatives, Solomom Wombo, condemned the attacks and killings, describing them as barbaric and inhuman.
Wombo, who visited the affected communities, also used the opportunity to recover more dead bodies for proper burial.
Wombo said his constituency have been driven 10 kilometers away from their ancestry home and rendered homeless.
The federal lawmaker appealed to the state and Federal governments to provide security for his people to go back to their ancestral home and continue their farm work.
Also, Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned attack and killings.
.In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Tersoo Kula, and made available to The Nation, the governor expressed his condolences to the families of the casualties and the affected communities.
According to Alia, the attack “is a painful reminder of the challenges his administration encounters in the journey for peace and security in the state”.
He said: “This measure of cruelty is extremely offensive and will not be countenanced.”
The governor condemned the barbaric action in the strongest terms, reassuring the people of the state that those responsible will be brought to justice.
He stated that in response to this tragedy, his government has deployed security forces in the affected localities and is implementing enhanced security measures to track the attackers and prevent further incidents.
“We are working closely with local law enforcement and community leaders to ensure that our villages can live in peace without fear of terrorism.
“To the people of Benue State, we want to assure you that your security is our top priority. We recognize the anxiety and fear that such incidents can cause, but we are committed to strengthening peace and security in our communities,’’ he added.
