Dozens of people were murdered by gunmen who invaded some communities in Katsina-Ala Local Government areas of Benue State at the weekend. The Chairman of Katsina-Ala LGA, Alfred Atera, who confirmed the attack by suspected herdsmen and collaboration with bandits said over 100 people have been killed in four wards including Yoyo, Utange, Mbatura/Mberev and Mbayongo. “More than 100 people at different places have been killed since the attack on Saturday. The Gana remnants are conniving with them (suspected herdsmen) to cause havoc and unrest in our area,” Atera said.
“The attackers have developed a strategy; they are not attacking one place. If they attack in Kwando now, the next thing you hear is that they are attacking Yoyo and at the same time, they were attacking Utange.”
Residential houses and farms were reportedly destroyed during the attack which is said to have lasted from Saturday till Yesterday morning.
Angered by the repeated senseless attacks on innocent persons in his state Governor Ortom, who spoke at an inter-denominational church service held at the government house on Sunday in Makurdi the state capital, charged the people to obtain licence for Dane guns and defend themselves.
“I will no longer announce the deaths of those killed by Fulani herdsmen, rise up and defend yourselves with weapons not prohibited by law, bows and arrows, spears and knives,” he said.
“Get a licence for Dane guns from local government chairmen and use them to defend yourselves.
“God assured me some time back that as long as I lived within the circle of his presence, no weapon fashioned against me shall prosper.”
