Suspected herdsmen have launched fresh attack on three communities in Gwer West local government area of Benue State, killing 16 people in the process.
“Sixteen people were killed by militia herders in Tse Tuma, Chiachia and Tse Targu communities and neighbouring villages, all in Gwer West,” said Francis Ayagan, chairman of Gwer West local government.
Sub-sector Commander of the Operation Whirl Stroke in charge of Gwer West, Flying Officer Mohammed Abubakar, said the attack was launched as reprisal for cows that were allegedly crunched on Friday by people he identified as Livestock Guards.
Abubakar said, “At about 4.30 pm on Saturday, information got to me that some people in military uniform were sighted at the Agape Forest and I mobilised my men to the forest.
“My men embarked on a search and discovered that those behind the rustling of cows are members of the livestock guards.
“We later traced them to Ter Nagi’s Palace and discovered 22 cattle there but he (the monarch) claimed that they belonged to him.”
The traditional ruler of Naka, headquarters of the local government, Ter Nagi Daniel Abomtse, denied that men of the Operation Whirl Stroke found the cows in his palace.
Spokesman to Benue State Governor, Terver Akase, knocked the Operation Whirl Stroke for alleging that members of the Livestock Guards had a hand in the killing.
