From Henry Ibya, Makurdi
Attack by suspected herdsmen on Udei community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State has left not less than four police officers dead.
A victim, who spoke with AljazirahNigeria yesterday in Makurdi, on condition of anonymity, said the attackers equally made away with police riffles.
He said the herdsmen went further to attack Tse-Asha and Ukange villages near Ortese Internally Displaced Peoples, IDP, camps during which security personnel stationed at Gungu Aze moved to the scene and engaged the attackers in a fierce fire exchange, suppressing them.
According to him, following the development, fear has gripped residents of the affected communities with some fleeing to safety zones.
Reacting to the development, President of the Association of United Farmers Benue Valley, AUFBV, Chief Dennis Gbongbon said on June 22, he personally alerted the police in Nasarawa that armed herdsmen numbering about 50 carrying sophisticated weapons and cows were heading en-masse towards Yelewata/Keana axis.
According to Gbongbon, he gave information that the bandits allegedly sponsored by Alago and Kwandara tribes in Nasarawa State to cause mayhem on Tiv communities over land skirmishes vowed that they would continue to attack Benue border communities.
He said had earlier informed security agencies that Alago and Kwandara tribes have also camped Lukurawa bandits at Keana, Obi, Doma and Awe borders since 2024, lamenting that since then, the killers are being protected by traditional rulers, Nasarawa State government and the police command.
Gbongbon described the inaction by the police and Nasarawa State government as declaring a silent war against Tivs in Nasarawa and those at the border zones.
He said before the Udei attack which claimed the lives of four police officers, he had informed that herders were passing Ome, Akaba through Akanga in Obi Local Government Area to Kadarko railway route and adequately informed the police to mobilise to Udei and Yelewata, lamenting that it did not act as required.
According to him, “We informed the Department of State Service, DSS, of what happened at Udei since June 22, where the herders were camped, their route and mission”, lamenting that their call received no positive response only for the invaders to successfully launch an attack on Udei, killing police officers on Sunday.”
The Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, Udeme Edet told journalists when contacted that she was yet to be briefed on the incident.
