At least forty persons have been reported killed in sleepy Benue communities by alleged Fulani herdsmen, the locals claim.
In a distress message Barr. Ocholi Ojantelle, a retired Benue state civil servant said at least 45 persons have been killed, including men, women and children. He also said a number of women were reported raped by the marauding criminals.
The message read: “I am Barr Ada Ocholi from Ojantelle in Apa LGA of Benue State, I was in the service of Benue State civil service until yesterday the 4th day of April when I retired from the state Ministry of Justice at the rank of an Assistant Director Civil Litigation. My people have become victims of unprovoked attacks from the Fulani herdsmen in recent time” he wrote.
According to him, “the unprovoked attacks started with attacks on Ikobi in Apa where not less than 15 people were inhumanly butchered to death, in Oiji in Apa, 3 persons were butchered to death, in Edikwu 2, in Inyapu 7, in Akpanta 3; in Ugbobi 4 including their chief, Chief Adanu; in Akpete 1person was killed and 2 ladies were rapped; in Atakpa in Agatu 8 persons were butchered to death, apart from these deaths, uncounted number wounded”.
He further stated that “my people cannot go to their farms to harvest farm produce” adding that “in most cases, the Fulani Herdsmen would control their cows to my people’s farms and allowed them to eat up the farm produce and then set whatever remains ablaze” he alleged.
He further stated that “the Fulani herdsmen have directed that they wouldn’t like to see my people in their respective farms as from 10AM as that is the time they start the daily rearing of their cattle.”
He also said their is no positive response from the authority despite cries from our people
Economy Footprint cannot independently verify this claims and attempt to get police authorities in Benue to speak to the issue was unsuccessful.
