Fulani Militias Attack Benue Community, Kill One, Abduct Three Women

Barely two weeks after armed herdsmen militias allegedly attacked some communities in Guma Local Government Area, suspected Fulani herdsmen, yesterday afternoon, reportedly attacked Div-nazaav community in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State killing one person and hacked three women.
However, both the state police command and the military spike Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) said they were not aware of any fresh attack in the area.
A native of the community, Solomon Amande, said in Makurdi that the armed herders stormed the area, last Friday, and camped in a nearby swampy area, adding that it was from there that they rose to unleash mayhem on the people, yesterday.
He said one Tarfa Simon was killed in the first compound the suspected armed herdsmen entered while a woman, Ngusonon Kighir that was frying Garri in the compound was given a serious machete cut on her body.
“On sighting Simon, they killed him and machete the woman. They also took two women with little children while shooting sporadically. They told the women that they would not kill them (women) because they(herdsmen) were instructed not to kill women but men and boys. They could have killed those children but they discovered that the children are all girls after conducting search on them”.
“As I talk to you, we have recovered the corpse and Ngusonon Kighir is also currently receiving medical treatment at Msonter clinic and maternity Jato-aka in Kwande. We have reported this early morning attack to the divisional police station in Kwande and the police post in Turan Jato-aka.
Amande disclosed further that the entire community has been deserted as the people have all fled from the area and are currently taking refuge under market shades at Jato-aka main market.
“We have resolved to live with the herders who go about with sophisticated weapons but they have resolved to be killing our people who do not even have knives apart from hoes for farm work. The burden is too much, we are hapless and helpless, and we don’t have financial power to resist those who are bent on taking over our land.
Amande, who lamented that every year, his people are being attacked and killed by armed herdsmen appealed to the state and federal governments to create a special camp in the area to mitigate against the incessant attacks.
When contacted, the Benue State Command Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Catherine Anene, said she was yet to be briefed about any fresh attack in Kwande, and promised to get back journalists as soon as she gets the information.
On his part, Force Commander, Operation Whirl Stroke, (OPWS), Maj-Gen Adeyemi Yekini, said that there was no case of fresh attack in Kwande area of the state.
“I have my troops on ground in Jato-aka in Kwande area. I have sent them to the area. The people are alleging that herdsmen militias killed people. To the best of my knowledge, no new case in Kwande, it is just rumour,” Yekini explained.