Killings in The Name of Grazing

George Okoh, in Makurdi, recounts the tragic events last week in some Benue communities invaded by marauding herdsmen

The account by an elder in Logo community in Benue State, Joseph Anawah, succinctly captures the events that look like a systematic killing of all the people from the areas attacked by the suspected Fulani herdsmen.

“That is the situation we have found ourselves in this part of the country; we are completely helpless, our women and children are being tormented almost on a weekly basis. Maybe the herdsmen want us to vacate Benue State for them,” said Anawah. “At the moment most of our people are also moving in their numbers from villages nearest to the attacked communities. The majority of them are fleeing to Anyii, the local government headquarters where most of the wounded are also receiving medical attention.”

No single arrest has been made by the security agencies while the killings are said to continue.

Anawah said over 300 people had been killed in 20 communities. He chided the federal government for doubting the report of the killing of 81 people in the community. “They reports are true and the said figure was even far less than the killings that are taking place on a daily basis. There are sporadic shootings by Fulani militants at Akombo axis, a suburb near Anyiin town. So why the doubt when no single arrest has taken place.”
He said residents of Agbenge, Kwagh Agule, Tyoban, Tse Yough and Gemana villages were running for safety in the bush.

Anawah said, “The invaders crossed at the abandoned mobile police barracks to launch this attack. This area is one of the settlements harbouring many internally displaced persons from neighbouring communities of Turan, Tombo, Ukemberagya & Tswarev council wards in Gaambe-tiev Logo Local Government Area.

“This morning, two corpses were recovered from the Akombo village attack near Anyiin town. So far scores are missing, many wounded. This attack is a sustained assault on the Logo people by the Nigerian Fulani herdsmen terrorists.

“A school supervisor with Logo LGEA, Mr.Sam Wayo, and his brother, Mr.Msugh Iim, were by the early hours of today (Wednesday) also killed by Fulani terrorists on their way to the farm. The Fulani jihadists opened fire on them from a church building where they laid ambush for Tiv unsuspecting farmers going to the farms this morning.

“The invaders hid in the church premises at NKST Tyogbihi (Tiza) after yesterday night operation at Akombo village near Anyiin where they killed two people and wounded many. Late Sam Wayo and his brother Msugh Iim all of Tombo ward from Mbazar and Mbaagia, respectively, were heading to Wayo’s rice farm when they met their deaths in the hands of Fulani herdsmen.

“It would be recalled that on Saturday, about 9:30am, they killed two people on a rice farm at Chembe settlement in Ukemberagya/Tswarev ward. Father of the deceased, Mr Emmanuel Emberga Baki, narrowly escaped death as he was shot on the neck where he is receiving medical attention at an Anyiin facility.

“On sunday the militant herdsmen shot and killed Mr Sugh Gede around 1pm on his way to Tse Avaan near Sevav in Mbawar, Nbagber council ward of Gaambe-tiev.
“Farmers have once again deserted their areas as a result of the continuous invasion of the place. In all these attacks no single arrest has been made by security operatives stationed in the area.”
Over five persons were killed on Saturday morning in a fresh attack on parts of Chambe and Anawah settlements, at Gaambe-Tiev, in Logo Local Government Area of Benue State, by headsmen

The affected communities were invaded about 9am when most of the locals were already on their farms.
According to a source who said he witnessed the attacks, the armed herdsmen stormed the villages, singing war songs, shooting sporadically and torching houses, huts and food barns in the affected communities.

He said, “Like the cases before now, this latest attack was unprovoked. The armed herdsmen stormed the settlements shooting sporadically and singing at the same time. People started running for their lives but unfortunately, about five persons were gunned down and several persons sustained machete cuts and bullet wounds.
“After chasing the people away, they took over and occupied the affected settlements while some houses and huts were also set ablaze.”

Benue Government Reacts
Benue State Government condemned the attacks on Tse Aondo, Tse Ankyou and Igbogom communities in Ukum local government area and other areas of the state. The government said the state was under siege.

The deputy governor, Mr. Benson Abounu, lamented that these were happening despite the genuine efforts of the government to check the killings. He said the herdsmen stormed the affected communities from neighbouring Taraba State after which they withdrew.

Abounu said, “This latest attack clearly shows that we are a state under siege. That is the mildest way anybody can put it. What happened is quite unfortunate. Just when you think that the matter had died down one wakes up to news of another ugly attack and killing of innocent people.
“The government is terribly bothered and very worried by these developments and we are not sleeping over the matter. We just held an emergency security meeting over the mater, which was presided over by the governor himself.

“As a government, we will not continue to take this; we will soon take stringent measures to check these incessant attacks on Benue communities by these arms wielding herdsmen who have continued to unleash mayhem on our people.
“Very soon the government will send a bill to the state Assembly, and that bill will effectively take care of all issues pertaining to grazing in Benue State.”

Grazing Controversy
Benue State Coordinator of Miyati Allah Cattle Rearers Association, Garus Gololo, said cattle rustling was often behind the killings. He alleged that several thousands of cattle were rustled by members of various communities in the state.

But many believe the recent upsurge in attacks by the herdsmen may not be unconnected with the state government’s rejection of the grazing bills been propose by the federal government. The state governor, Dr Samuel Ortom, said the state rejected the bill for the simple reason that the state does not have enough land for grazing.

The situation in Benue is becoming worrisome by the day as security agencies saddled with the responsibility to protect the people have failed woefully in this regard. In most cases, the attacks occur before they react and arrests are hardly made.

Most residents of the affected areas said the headsmen have overwhelmed the security men.

Refugee Crisis
The situation in Logo, Ukum, Buruku and Agatu has resulted in a huge refugee crisis in the state.

Meanwhile survivors of the recent bloody invasion of Agatu by armed Fulani herdsmen have lamented their alleged abandonment by the government. They regretted that they had no homes to return to, no standing school in the sacked communities for their children and wards to attend, and no food to eat in the various communities.

Speaking through their leader, Elder Ekoja Imanche, the Agatu indigenes lamented that since the cessation of hostilities in Agatu land, the people were yet to start their lives all over again because the government had reneged on its promises to help rehabilitate razed communities and avail the victims lifeline.

Imanche said, “After the cessation of hostilities in Agatu land, we were told to return back to our homes with promises from the government that our communities would be rehabilitated and our families would be assisted to start life all over again since all our houses, farmland and food barns were all destroyed.

“Unfortunately, as I speak with you, no such assistances has been extended to us. At the moment no school is standing in Agatu land, all of our houses have been razed and we have no homes to live in, our farmland, and food barns have all been destroyed.

“We have no food to eat and we cannot access the major farmland we have between Gwer West and Ogbaji because Fulanis are still occupying there, same for Odugbeho down to Okokolo an axis renowned for its farming prowess. The people cannot access their farms.”

Imanche added, “Everyday we hear of relief materials coming to the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, most of whom are presently squatting in Makurdi and Ugbokpo but unfortunately we are not seeing any of such.

“The truth is that we have been abandoned and government has left us to our fate. Even the local government caretaker committee chairman has not visited the area to ascertain the condition of the people. That is the unfortunate condition we have found ourselves.”

Confirming the latest attacks, the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police Moses Yamu, said the Commissioner of Police had dispatched a team of Mobile Policemen to the affected communities.