Over 100 persons, most especially, women and children, have been killed by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen in four council wards of Katsina Ala local government area of Benue State.
The Chairman of Katsina Ala, Mr. Alfred Atera who confirmed the killings while speaking with journalists on phone said the incident took place between last Saturday and Sunday, just as he said more killings are ongoing as at the time of writing this report on Monday.
Atera told journalists that “four council wards are under attack by the Fulani and they are Yooyo, Utange, Mbatura/Mberev and Mbayongo.
He said as he was speaking, people are trooping out in large number as the herdsmen are shooting sporadically, killing and dropping dead bodies along the way.
“I have videos of how people are trooping out because of fulani and how they are shooting sporadically.
“More than 100 people have been killed at different places. They are killing and dropping as they are moving.
In a manner that suggests that the military are overwhelmed by the attacks, Atera said “I told the military that the attackers have developed a strategy and they are not attacking one place. If they attack in Kwaghondo now, the next thing you hear they are in Yooyo and the same time they are attacking Utange, so the military are going here and there.
“Before they could go there, the attackers have finished and gone to another point, that is the situation in Katsina Ala.
“The authorities are aware of all these things, as I am speaking to you, my traditional rulers are here to see what we can do in their own level.”
The Chairman who dismissed any military connivance in the attacks said “but I’m suspecting bandits, the existing bandits. I think they are trying to get cheap popularity. They are conniving to do that so that we could consider them which we have refused to do. It is better to die by Fulani than allow our boys to kill us.
“The remnant of Gana boys have connived with herdsmen to cause havoc and unrest in our area”, Atera added.
Meanwhile, a resident of Katsina Ala LGA, Edward Kwaghondo told journalists that unknown gunmen have been raiding their communities for the past two months.
“It has been raids and burning of farmers residents and killing of farmers by unknown gunmen.These attacks have forced some of the indigenous people to evacuate their families to get shelter in places safer.
On May 22, 2021, Fulani herders attacked Kwaghaondo village in Utyondo Ward Mbayongo District Katsina Ala LGA of Benue state and butchered 13 people; women and children included.
Kwaghondo who also lamented that some of their relatives are still missing said “the whole ward has been sacked; houses, agricultural products, belongings, farmlands have been left to the mercy of the herders.”
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Benue Police Command, DSP Catherine Anene, said she was yet to get the report.
“I have not received that report from Katsina Ala yet. But if I eventually receive it, I will let you know,” Anene said on phone.
The Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke in the state, Brig. Gen. Clement Apere said the narrative given was wrong and asked our correspondent to call the Katsina Ala council chairman.
When informed of earlier conversation with the council chairman, General Akpere only said, “just call him now, I just spoke with the chairman, the narratives are not true.”
