* Benue herdsmen attack: Death toll now 24
Twenty four persons, mostly women and children, were, on Monday,
killed in a fresh crisis at Omusu Edimoga in Okpokwu Local
Government Area of Benue State.
The council chairman, Olofu Ogwuche, stated this while
conducting state governor, Samuel Ortom, round the affected
community on Tuesday.
The governor and members of state security council had visited
Omusu Edimoga for an on-the-spot assessment.
Ogwuche said the herdsmen had reported to the council the loss
of their cows some kilometers from the affected village.
Ogwuche said he was already mediating in the crisis when report
got to him that the herdsmen had invaded the village and killed
some people.
The herdsmen were said to have invaded the community between 2pm
and 3pm on Monday, allegedly killing some children who were
returning from school.
In a particular building of two rooms, eight persons were said
to have been murdered during the attack.
The body of an 11-year-old girl in her school uniform was
discovered by the police when the governor visited the area.
Ogwuche said, “It was on Monday that Police came to inform me
that herdsmen reported that people of Omusu Edimoga village had
rustled their cows.
“When I heard this, I started mediating over the issue, during
which I received information that herdsmen had invaded the
community.
“Immediately I got the report, I rushed down, and with the help
of the Police, we were able to recover 17 corpses and took them to
the mortuary at the General Hospital in Okpoga.
“This morning (Tuesday), when we came here, we recovered the
body of six persons and they have also been taken to the
mortuary.
“But as we were moving around, the corpse of an 11-year-old girl
was also recovered.
“So, in all, 24 persons had died, and some are still
missing.”
At St. Mary’s Catholic Hospital, Okpoga, it was a pathetic
sight. A five-year-old boy, identified as Loko, was shot on the
buttocks; while he was also said to have lost his mother in the
attack. He cried uncontrollably.
Governor Ortom condemned the attack, and accused Fulani of
“always taking the law into their own hands.”
‘They reported the case of rustling, but instead of waiting for
the outcome of Police investigation, they came and killed 24 people
in a day. It is senseless.
“People in Omusu Edimoga community do not understand cow
language; so, no one here rustles their cow, it is the same Fulani
men that are rustling their fellows’ cows.
“We can not continue with these senseless killings; that is why
we came out with the law which is aimed to protect everyone.
“When Sharia law was introduced in Zamfara State, no one
violated the law. Let security men do their job and arrest the
people. ”
The governor, however, called on the people not to take law into
their hands.
Earlier, Benue State Command spokesman, ASP Moses Yamu, had
claimed that 16 persons were killed.
He said the herdsmen were on a reprisal attack allegedly to
protest the “maiming and theft” of their cows by the people of
Omusu.
The herdsmen were also said to have claimed that two herdsmen
had gone missing and that one of them was found dead.
* Benue herdsmen attack: Death toll now 24
Twenty four persons, mostly women and children, were, on Monday,
killed in a fresh crisis at Omusu Edimoga in Okpokwu Local
Government Area of Benue State.
The council chairman, Olofu Ogwuche, stated this while
conducting state governor, Samuel Ortom, round the affected
community on Tuesday.
The governor and members of state security council had visited
Omusu Edimoga for an on-the-spot assessment.
Ogwuche said the herdsmen had reported to the council the loss
of their cows some kilometers from the affected village.
Ogwuche said he was already mediating in the crisis when report
got to him that the herdsmen had invaded the village and killed
some people.
The herdsmen were said to have invaded the community between 2pm
and 3pm on Monday, allegedly killing some children who were
returning from school.
In a particular building of two rooms, eight persons were said
to have been murdered during the attack.
The body of an 11-year-old girl in her school uniform was
discovered by the police when the governor visited the area.
Ogwuche said, “It was on Monday that Police came to inform me
that herdsmen reported that people of Omusu Edimoga village had
rustled their cows.
“When I heard this, I started mediating over the issue, during
which I received information that herdsmen had invaded the
community.
“Immediately I got the report, I rushed down, and with the help
of the Police, we were able to recover 17 corpses and took them to
the mortuary at the General Hospital in Okpoga.
“This morning (Tuesday), when we came here, we recovered the
body of six persons and they have also been taken to the
mortuary.
“But as we were moving around, the corpse of an 11-year-old girl
was also recovered.
“So, in all, 24 persons had died, and some are still
missing.”
At St. Mary’s Catholic Hospital, Okpoga, it was a pathetic
sight. A five-year-old boy, identified as Loko, was shot on the
buttocks; while he was also said to have lost his mother in the
attack. He cried uncontrollably.
Governor Ortom condemned the attack, and accused Fulani of
“always taking the law into their own hands.”
‘They reported the case of rustling, but instead of waiting for
the outcome of Police investigation, they came and killed 24 people
in a day. It is senseless.
“People in Omusu Edimoga community do not understand cow
language; so, no one here rustles their cow, it is the same Fulani
men that are rustling their fellows’ cows.
“We can not continue with these senseless killings; that is why
we came out with the law which is aimed to protect everyone.
“When Sharia law was introduced in Zamfara State, no one
violated the law. Let security men do their job and arrest the
people. ”
The governor, however, called on the people not to take law into
their hands.
Earlier, Benue State Command spokesman, ASP Moses Yamu, had
claimed that 16 persons were killed.
He said the herdsmen were on a reprisal attack allegedly to
protest the “maiming and theft” of their cows by the people of
Omusu.
The herdsmen were also said to have claimed that two herdsmen
had gone missing and that one of them was found dead.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/again-victims-of-benue-massacres-to-get-mass-burial-ortom/