- Invaders kill 18, including toddler twins, 90-year-old man who was too old to run
- Village left in ruin with ‘Operation one man, one bullet’
The inhabitants of Mbaikyor community, Mbalom council ward in Gwer East Local Government Area, Benue State are in serious mourning following an invasion of their ancestral community by some killer herdsmen who left sorrow, blood and tears in their trail.
While the entire community was asleep at about 4 am penultimate Thursday, the invaders swooped on the remote community, sent 18 of its members into early graves following the herdsmen’s declaration of operation one man, one bullet.
The worst hit parts include Tse-Agernor, Tse Wamdor, Tse-Ate, Tse-Ayol, Tse-Abagi, Tse-Ifan, Tse-Ukundur, Tse-Girgi, Tse-Tion and Wandoo Market Square where the herders burnt down houses and forced the inhabitants to seek refuge elsewhere, leaving the said areas almost desolate and in absolute ruin.
The hapless victims are now left to count their losses not only in terms of loss of lives but also in terms of destroyed farmlands, economic trees, houses, huts and farm produce. Women, children and the elderly were not spared in the theatre of war.
About seven years ago, precisely April 24, 2018, some killer herdsmen had similarly stormed St Ignatius Catholic Church, in Ayar-Ukpor-Mbalom Parish, Gwer East Local Government Area, killing two Catholic priests and 17 parishioners.
The latest attack, which occurred in the same axis, saw the militia herdsmen ransack the entire village, killing 18 innocent farmers, setting houses ablaze and destroying foodstuffs.
A victim of the attack, who gave his name as Tarnongo, gave horrifying details of the attacks in an interview with our correspondent, recalling how his toddler twins, brother’s wife and younger ones were gruesomely killed.
He said at about 4am on that fateful day, some militia herdsmen numbering more than 20 invaded their community and set their houses ablaze.
“They picked on everyone who tried to escape. My twin children, younger ones and the wife of my brother were all killed.
“The militia men shot at defenceless women and children while others armed with machetes hacked other people to death.
“The innocent and unarmed people ran frantically, looking for escape routes, but they were sprayed with bullets.
“We even tried to hide one of the victims, but they traced his whereabouts and killed him,” he said.
He however, expressed fears that a bloody war could soon erupt between Fulani herdsmen and Tiv farmers in the state.
“Unless urgent steps are taken to halt the mindless and barbaric killing of Tiv farmers in Benue State, they would be left with no choice but to respond to the attacks,” he said.
“What is our offence? That we did not allow them to destroy our already harvested yam and cassava?
“What do the herdsmen want? We only asked them not to eat our harvested yams and cassava in the farm when grazing abd that is the reason for the killings. We are pained,” he said.
Tarnongo expressed fears of drastic food shortage in Benue State in the nearest future if the killer herdsmen continue with the spate of killings and sacking of communities from their homes and farmlands.
Speaking on the attacks, the member representing Gwer East in the state House of Assembly, Hon Elias Audu, who led the Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Aondona Dajoh to the attacked community, explained that Wandoo community in Mbaikyo had been deserted for fear of further attacks as herders still graze freely in many parts of Gwer East including Gbemacha, Shough, Mbasombo and Mbalom communities, which share boundaries with Mbaikyo
He said the action of the herdsmen was an indication that the anti-open grazing law is being flouted by herders in Gwer East with impunity.
Hon Audu said the people of Mbaikyo and neighbouring communities were traumatised and had deserted their community to become refugees in Ikpayongo, Igbor, shann, Ayar and other communities within the local government area.
“The people are also traumatised because of unverified reports making the rounds on the social media that Mbaikyo community was attacked because they rustle cows,” he added.
The Speaker of Benue State House of Assembly, Hon Dajoh, said the house under his leadership would continue to give support to the enforcement of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law.
He frowned at the fact that armed herders gruesomely murdered the innocent people of the community, and called on the security operatives to do everything possible to bring the perpetrators of the heinous act to book as well as ensure that the police explain the whereabouts of the three herdsmen arrested by the community and handed over to them.
The Speaker said he would meet with the state governor to provide palliatives for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) innorder to alleviate their plight.
In an address, the Kindred Head of Mbaikyor, Chief Augustine Ame, said on February, 29, 2024 some of his boys arrested some armed Fulani herders who were grazing openly in the area and handed them over to him, and he, in turn, handed them over to the Aliade Police Division. But on Thursday last week, armed Fulani herders returned and attacked them, killing scores of people including an elderly man who was burnt in the house.
On his part, the President of Mbaikyor Sons in Diaspora, Simon Kofi, said his people did not rustle any cow, appealing to the Benue State Government to arrest the perpetrators.
Investigation by our correspondent showed that the attackers, who engage mercenaries, invaded the Mbaikyor community from neigbouring Gwer West Local Government Area of the state and struck in guerrilla style before beating a retreat to their safe haven.
Our correspondent, who visited the scene of the attacks alongside some government officiald to see things for himself, gathered that only recently, some herdsmen migrated and settled in Mbaikyor and other communities within the local government area, and decided to graze on the local farms, ordering their cows to eat all the harvested yams and dry cassava the farmers had prepared.
It was gathered that all efforts to stop the herdsmen from destroying the harvested crops were abortive as they insisted that their cows must feed. The development led to a disagreement and the villagers decided that the herdsmen should leave their community if they cannot respect simple decorum.
“We mobilised amd chased them away. Nobody confiscated their cows. We simply said we don’t want them again,” Tersoo, a youth leader in the area, told our correspondent.
He added: “We ensured that they left our farmlands. This is dry season and our wives are harvesting cassava, drying it on the farm.
“We store our yams in the farm, but anytime we are not in the farm, the Fulani herdsmen will come with their cows and eat up everything
“See how difficult things are. If we allow them to finish our foodstuffs, how do we feed our various families?
“So we chased them out of our farmlands. But unknown to us, they left and planned this attack on our people.
“That was the genesis of the crisis.”
The state governor, Hycient Alia, who shifted the blame on the Tiv farmers, said that local communities in Benue State are engaged in cattle rustling; a development he said led to the reprisal attacks by Fulani herdsmen.
Governor Alia’s statement has heightened tension in Gwer East Local Government Area as stakeholders accused the governor of playing politics with human lives by drawing the conclusion that the local farmers were responsible for the attacks on them.
Speaking on the statement credited to the governor, a community leader in Mbaikyo where the attacks took place, Prof. Iorshase Agaji, expressed disappointment that the governor concluded that only young people were killed without verifying the facts.
Agaji said: “Those killed are not all young. In fact, majority of the people are elderly people. The Ate twins, Asan and Asough, one of whom was killed, are approaching 90 years and cannot be described by any standard as young.
“Asough Ate could not run on account of old age and was killed. His body was also burnt by the attackers.
“Julius Mbatsavvum Gbatar, Peter Tion, Akuma Kpenge, Nyityo Tion, and John Ndahgh Tyohemba were all above 60 years of age.
“In fact, Akuma Kpenge was sick. So when the attack started, he was taken and hidden somewhere. But the attackers traced and killed him.
“Tertsegha Ukombor, Doopinen Awua and Abume Najime were all in their early 50’s.
“But the Governor said that young men rustled cows and were selling meat in wheelbarrows. That is not true.
“The Governor concluded that such acts like rustling come with consequences. The paramount questions here are (1) are we in a jungle in Benue where survival is by might?
(2) Where is the anti-open grazing law?”
However, the people of Gwer East Local Government Area, through their umbrella organisation, Masev Development Association (MDA), led by its President General, Prof Vearumun Tarhule, expressed disappointment with the governor’s statement.
The MDA said in a statement: “The Masev nation, represented by the Masev Development Association, stands united in its dismay, distress, and disillusionment following the recent pronouncement by His Excellency Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, the Governor of Benue State.
“The assertion linking the tragic loss of lives and destruction of property in Wandor, Mbaikyor within the Mbalom Council Ward of Gwer East Local Government to cattle rustling has left our community further shattered and demoralised.
But for the trending video on all social media channels, we would not have believed that Governor Alia, who Masev people massively voted, could have said such a thing.
“Governor Alia’s irrefutable pictorial and audio evidence in the form of video stared us in the face.
“The Governor’s unequivocal assertion has churned out quite a number of issues:
“By his own mouth, the governor said he was informed of the incident on his way to the requiem Mass.
“Without any security personnel or the governor himself visiting the horrific scene, the Governor miraculously knew that it was some Masev youth that rustled cows, killed some and were marketing them in wheelbarrows!
“It looks to us that someone sold a poorly crafted story to the Governor who rushed to gleefully announce the verdict.
“Assuming without conceding that what the Governor said was true, does rustling or killing cows justify the massive killing of 18 people as at today? Is this good justification?
“What happened to the Anti Open grazing law which the Governor said was in force and the two weeks ultimatum given which has expired?
“In our respective view it is statements (justifications) such as offered by Governor Alia that further embolden the herders. Such statements ought not and should never have come from Gov ernor Alia or any elected or appointed government official.
“It is the constitutional responsibility of Governor Alia to secure the lives of Benue people, not for him to be threading blame, offering excuses which even children will not believe, and consequently playing politics with the lives of Benue People.
“Having justified the slaughtering of 18 innocent Masev sons, wives and daughters, Gov. Alia then announced that the perpetrators would be brought to book.
“This to us was strictly politics as the Governor had already justified the wanton killing and destruction of properties by the herders.
“We express deep concern and apprehension over the governor’s inclination to apportion blame without thorough investigation and unbiased scrutiny.
“At a time when lives are lost and properties worth millions are razed, it is disheartening that the Governor chose to cast unwarranted accusations upon the youths of Wandor, Mbaikyor.
“Our people, who have already endured the brunt of external forces, now face unjustified condemnation.
“The Masev community finds it bewildering that while the Governor extends condolences and promises to pursue the perpetrators behind this heinous act, his office, through his Chief Press Secretary, shifts blame onto local youths.
“This conflicting stance not only undermines the gravity of the situation but also exacerbates the pain and frustration felt by our people.
“Let it be clear: the Masev people do not condone criminal activities within our community. However, we vehemently reject any narrative that portrays us as perpetrators of violence against our own.
“Such baseless accusations not only defame our integrity but also divert attention from the real perpetrators who threaten our safety and livelihoods.
“Governor Alia was entrusted with the mandate to safeguard the interests and security of all Benue State residents. Regrettably, his recent statements have betrayed the trust and confidence vested in him by the Masev electorate.
“It is imperative that he revisits his stance and upholds the principles of fairness, accountability, and justice.”
But Governor Alia, responding through a statement from his Chief Press Secretary, regretted that a section of Masev people feels injured by official statements regarding the tragic loss of lives and destruction of property in Wa-ndor, Mbaikyor, of Mbalom Council Ward, Gwer East Local Government.
“As the Chief Security officer, the Governor works closely with communities and security organisations, and recieves security intelligence and other priviledged briefings regularly.
“Masev people cannot as a people be termed cattle rustlers. No! The Governor did not call them so because we are aware of their collective efforts to ensure safety in the land.
“However, the unfortunate crises or attacks at stake drew from criminal elements that were involved in mischievous acts which tend to result into the indiscriminate action from criminal herder gangs.
“This is a fact, as sad as it may sound. This in no way approves of the killings or seeks to undermine same. No!
6″That rustling is fingered in this latest Mbalom attack, it is not an indictment on Masev people, and a leverage for gangs of herders and their agents. No. It is not an indictment on the entire Masev people in no way.
“Loss of lives cannot be justified under any account irrespective of whatever is the immediate or remote cause.
“This again is not a justification of perennial killings caused by militant herdsmen over the years.
“Government feels concerned and wishes the National Executive Council of the Masev Development Association, and entire Masev people not to view the Governor’s remarks so damaging of their integrity.
“The apprehension of the people should be relaxed as no ill is intended on the part of government.
“The Governor notes that the current crises with the unfortunate deaths was undertoned by rustling shouldn’t be seen as an indictment or a statement to undermine the Masev people.
“Government shares in the pains and aspirations of Masev people and the entire State.”
