ANOTHER BLOOD IN BENUE STATE; Fulani Herdsmen Kill Over 60 In Buruku LG – Ortom

Governor Samuel Ortom wept openly and lamented that Benue state was under siege, Daily Post reports.

He revealed that death toll in last Friday’s attack on Tarfi village, Binnev Ward in Buruku local government area of the state by suspected Fulani herdsmen had risen to over 60.

Ortom admitted that the state government was helpless and could not contain the activities of the herdsmen, who were attacking villages, killing innocent people and raping women.

“After committing the atrocities, they sacked the locals from their abode after which they occupied the ‘captured territory’,” he said.

Ortom noted that although he had continually warned the people against carrying out reprisal attacks, they soon might resort to self-help if security agencies could not protect them

“It is a bad situation, everyday you hear how my people are being killed, raped and maimed by these mercenaries. They do not have respect for the rule of law or security personnel. The situation has gotten to a point where if we contain the crisis in one community, they move quickly to another to massacre the people just like the Buruku case where over 60 innocent persons have been killed.

“These are wicked mercenaries under the guise of herdsmen attacking us and taking over our farmland. I have said it several times that we do not have land for grazing in the state, let them move out of the state if they cannot respect the rule of law and the sanctity of human lives,” he said.

Ortom revealed that he was going to represent the matter to President Muhammadu Buhari because the state government was helpless. According to him, if nothing urgent is done, Nigerians might have a major crisis in their hands.

Meanwhile, Fulani herdsmen killed seven people in an attack on Tse Atue community in Guma local government area of Benue state. This attack by the gunmen, who stormed the village on Monday, May 16, made many residents deserte their community as houses were reportedly burnt in the process.