NO fewer than16 persons were allegedly killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen at the weekend in Agagbe, Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State.
However, Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke, OPWS, Maj. Gen. Adeyemi Yekini told newsmen in Makurdi that only seven corpses have been recovered by his men in what is reported to be a reprisal attack.
Sub-sector commander of OPWS in Gwer West Local Government Area, Flying Officer Mohammed Abubakar said at 4:30 pm on Saturday, some of his reliable sources from Agagbe informed him that some men dressed in military uniform were sighted in Agagbe forest rustling cows and he quickly mobilized his men to the area and they found three dead bodies which were later taken to a hospital in the area.
“Just this afternoon, our men went on mop up patrol and discovered four additional dead bodies at the scene of the incident,” Abubakar said.
Commenting on the incident, Maj. Gen. Yekini expressed regrets, noting that some unforeseen forces are deliberately trying to cause a state of chaos in the State.
He observed that the sad incident is happening one week to the Governorship Election as was the case in Agatu before the Presidential election.
Gen. Yekini assured that his men will continue to chase the armed herdsmen away from the State, but advised those who are fomenting trouble to desist from such act as the law will catch up with them.
Ter Nagi, Chief Daniel Abomtse said there was heavy attack in some communities in his domain.
According to him, OPWS have been helpful to them but said sometimes, troops of the operation kill cows belonging to herdsmen and chase them away only for them to come in a reprisal attack on his subjects.
This, he said, happened in January 21st and a similar incident happened on Saturday.
Chief Abomtse alleged that four out of seven districts in his domain have taken over by the herdsmen and appealed to federal government to deploy or station a military post at Agagbe to avert further attacks.
Chairman of Gwer West Local Government Council, Francis Ayaga confirmed that 16 persons were killed by suspected herdsmen, adding that three communities were also attacked.
