No fewer than 144 people have been killed by suspected herdsmen in the North Central states of Plateau and Benue over the past two weeks. The wave of violence continued late Tuesday, claiming at least 13 more lives, leaving scores injured, and destroying over 50 houses.
Within this period, a total of 104 people were killed in Plateau State alone, 52 in Bassa Local Government Area (LGA) and another 52 in Bokkos LGA, in separate attacks by the armed assailants. In neighboring Benue State, at least 40 people lost their lives to similar attacks.
Specifically in Benue, three people were killed on April 3 when a Benue Links bus was ambushed in the Ikobi community, Otukpo LGA. A week later, on April 10, two farmers were reportedly murdered by the attackers in Gwer West LGA.
Same day, three persons were killed at Mbasombo community also in Gwer East LGA, while the latest attack on Otobi Akpa in Otukpo LGA and the boundary with Nasarawa State claimed the lives of at least 13 persons, with several others declared missing.
Aside from the killings in the north central states, Boko Haram insurgents also on Tuesday, attacked Adamawa communities in Hong local government area, killing seven persons, while scores of others are still missing.
The latest killings in Benue on Tuesday evening, came as Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State yesterday announced prohibition of night grazing, transportation of cattle by vehicles after 7:00 pm, and restriction of the use of motorcycles from 7:00 pm to 6:00 am across the state until further notice, as part of measures to ward off the marauding herdsmen.
The attack on Otobi Akpa community started at about 6:00pm from the popular Otobi junction when over 20 armed herdsmen in a commando style, shot sporadically at anybody they sighted.
They also set ablaze no fewer than 50 houses.
Unfortunately most the of the vigilantes who could have stopped them from entering the main town to perpetrate their mission, had moved to Adim village of Akpa to attend a burial.
The terrifying sounds of gunshots created palpable fear as many took to their heels, while others who were curious to know what was happening ran into the herdsmen who opened fire on them, killing at least 13 persons in the process, while many escaped with gunshot wounds.
Some other victims were butchered with cutlasses, with their brains scattered around the scenes they were killed.
Investigation revealed that the killer herdsmen invaded Otobi Akpa and other Akpa communities to resist the law against open grazing which stopped them from grazing their cattle in the area.
One of the elders of the community, Adikwu Ogbe, who lamented the attack, recalled that Otobi Akpa community was one of the most peaceful communities in Idoma land, noting that in the past, the community had lived peacefully with Fulani herders until recently when they (herders) started bearing sophisticated arms and threatening the locals.
Recall that about three weeks ago, a security guard with Otukpo dam was shot and dismembered by herdsmen who enter Otobi village and shot sporadically in a night attack.
At the time of filing this report, many residents were seen fleeing the community, while search for those missing was in progress.
There was also no sign of security presence in the affected areas.
Benue State Deputy Governor, Samuel Ode, in company of heavily armed security operatives, yesterday visited the area to sympathise with many of the residents who are currently taking refuge at the Federal Government College, Otobi.
He appealed to them to remain calm, assuring that measures were being put in place to end further attack by the killers herdsmen.
Meanwhile, the community has become a ghost town as virtually everyone has fled the area for fear of another attack.
7 killed, many more missing as Boko Haram insurgents attack Adamawa community
While the herders are running riot in Plateau, Benue and Nasarawa states, Boko Haram insurgents in the early hours of yesterday, launched an attack on Adamawa communities in Hong local government, killing seven persons, while scores of others have been declared missing.
The attack, which is the fourth this year, occurred in the quiet communities of Banga and Larh and some adjoining villages in Hong LGA.
At least seven persons were confirmed dead, including a vigilante, killed by detonated explosives.
The assault also saw a police van shattered by the explosives, though its occupants miraculously escaped unharmed.
The attack in Banga claimed three lives, including two men shot dead by insurgents and a woman who fell and died during the stampede in nearby Larh.
According to locals, the attackers came in their large numbers and started shooting sporadically in all directions in the community .
“In the twinkle of an eye, the entire communities were deserted as people scampered in different directions for their lives,” Ma’am Yakub, an eyewitness revealed.
He said in the ensuing confusion, many people got missing as their whereabouts are unknown.
The attack became more dreadful following the tragic loss of a vigilante in Banga, who was killed when a bomb detonated during efforts to secure the area.
“It’s heartbreaking that we are losing our people to these monsters, and now, even those protecting us are now the targets,’’ said a community leader who requested anonymity.
Local sources noted that the insurgents often plant such devices to deter security operatives from pursuing them, a strategy that had repeatedly disrupted response efforts.
The chairman of Hong local government council, Mr Waang Inuwa, who confirmed the attack, called for more military presence in the communities .
The attack on Banga and Larh underscores the persistent threat posed by Boko Haram in North-Eastern Nigeria, despite claims by authorities that the group had been significantly weakened.
“We feel abandoned. These attacks keep happening, and we’re left to fend for ourselves,” another community leader lamented .
Mutfwang prohibits night grazing, transportation of cattle
To restore calm and strengthen vigilance in Plateau State, Governor Caleb Mutfwang yesterday announced the prohibition of night grazing, transportation of cattle by vehicle after 7:00 pm, and the use of motorcycles restricted from 7:00 pm to 6:00 am across the state until further notice.
The governor in a state-wide broadcast, said the security measures were effective from Wednesday, April 16th.
His words: “I speak to you today (yesterday) not only as your governor but as a fellow son of Plateau who shares in your anguish and feels the weight of the pain inflicted upon our people.
“We are once again confronted by sorrow as heart-wrenching attacks have taken the lives of innocent citizens in our communities.
“In the late hours of Sunday, April 13, the calm of Kimakpa area of Kwall District in Bassa LGA was shattered by violent assaults on Zike village. Innocent men, women, and children were murdered in cold blood.
“Homes were torched, properties ravaged, and entire families were left in agony. These attacks occurred, even as we were still mourning the loss of over 50 lives in Bokkos.
“The scale, frequency and intent of these atrocities are unmistakable. Let us be clear: this is not random violence. This is not an isolated conflict between farmers and herders. What we are witnessing is a systematic and premeditated campaign—one that seeks to displace, destabilise, and instill terror and fear in our people and communities.
“The tragic echoes of Dogo Na Hawa, Riyom, Barkin-Ladi, Mangu, and the Christmas Eve massacres in Bokkos remain vivid. The cycle continues, but it must not endure. Enough Is Enough!
‘’As your governor, I stand resolved—Plateau shall not be overrun by fear, nor shall we accept this culture of bloodshed as the new normal. My administration is intensifying efforts to protect our people and enforce the rule of law across all local governments.
“Only days ago, I visited Hurti, Mbar, Manguna, and Daffo to witness, first hand, the devastation left behind by the terrorists. I had earlier stopped at Ruwi, where mourners were brazenly attacked at a wake.
“What I saw moved me profoundly—the suffering of displaced families now crammed into churches and temporary shelters, their lives uprooted overnight.
“But let me reassure you: my government is alive to its constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property, and we are rising to the occasion more determined than ever.
“For far too long, our beloved state has made the headlines for the wrong reasons, thereby casting a shadow over our immense potential and deterring the inflow of much-needed foreign direct and local investments.
“These investments could have been the catalyst for harnessing our abundant natural resources and lifting our people out of poverty. We cannot afford to let this unfortunate reality persist.
‘’Despite this sorrow, the strength and courage of our people continue to inspire me. I extend heartfelt appreciation to the national and state emergency management agencies for their prompt response in providing emergency aid and comfort to survivors.
“I hereby announce the following measures, effective Wednesday, April 16th, night grazing of cattle is strictly prohibited, and transportation of cattle by vehicle is banned after 7:00 pm. The use of motorcycles is restricted from 7:00pm to 6:00am across the state until further notice.
“We are also activating community-based response systems. I urge traditional leaders and youth associations to reactivate local vigilante groups and organize night patrols in coordination with the security agencies. We must protect our communities while upholding the rule of law.”
The governor furthermore mandated the newly inaugurated Inter-Religious Council to begin immediate engagement with all stakeholders to address the deeper issues surrounding these attacks.
“I shall also be appointing a special envoy on peace to lead grassroots consultations and intelligence coordination as a fact-finding committee, comprising respected independent voices, to investigate the root cause of this resurgence in violence and offer actionable recommendations.
Leave France, return home, Obi tasks Tinubu
Speaking on the killings in Plateau yesterday, the presidential candidate of Labour Party, LP, in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi asked President Bola Tinubu to cut short his retreat in France and return home to stop the ongoing mass killings of Nigerians by non-state actors.
In the tweet, titled “Mr. President, Domestic problems beckon”, the former Anambra State governor wrote: “I am compelled at this time in our lives as a nation to call our retreating President’s attention to the security challenges at home, which entails that he immediately suspend his ongoing retreat in a foreign land and come home to address the overwhelming security situation across the country.
“This urgent call has become necessary, following the rising incidents of crimes and criminalities all over Nigeria, with an apparent absence of governance.
“In the two weeks you have been away, over 150 Nigerians have lost their lives to insecurity across Nigeria, especially in Plateau and Zamfara states.
“The primary duty of any government is securing the lives and property of its citizens and one wonders the type of retreat going on in another country where peace has been secured by their leaders, while blood continues to flow in our country.
Tinubu must restore law and order in Plateau, Benue States — Falana
On his part, human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, said: “The Northern Governors Forum banned open grazing in February 2021, while the Southern Governors Forum banned open grazing in May 2021
“In 2022, the Federal Government adopted ranching as a solution to the violent clashes between herders and farmers.
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‘’Because of the failure of the federal and the 36 state governments to implement the ban on open grazing, hundreds of people have been killed by armed herders and other gunmen.
‘’We call on President Bola Tinubu to direct the 3rd Division of the Nigerian Army in Jos, and the AIG Zone 4 of the Nigeria Police Force in Jos to restore law and order in Benue and Plateau without any further delay.’’
We’re deeply pained with Plateau bloodshed — Northern Elders
In its reaction, Northern Elders Forum, NEF, expressed deep pain over the recent bloodshed in some communities in Plateau State.
NEF in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Prof Abubakar Jika Jiddere, described the killings as barbaric and a national disgrace.
It lamented that Plateau State that was once a symbol of unity, peace and cultural diversity in Nigeria, had now become a theatre of bloodshed and lawlessness.
The statement read: “The Northern Elders Forum, NEF, is outraged by the relentless and barbaric killings taking place in Plateau State. What was once a symbol of unity, peace, and cultural diversity in Nigeria has now become a theatre of bloodshed and lawlessness.
“The magnitude of violence being inflicted on innocent citizens is nothing short of a national disgrace, and a damning indictment of the Federal Government’s failure to discharge its primary duty of protecting lives and property.
“It is unacceptable that such acts of mass murder and destruction continue unabated, with little or no meaningful response from those charged with safeguarding the nation.
“The silence and inaction of the Federal Government can no longer be tolerated. NEF demands the immediate and massive deployment of well-equipped security forces to Plateau State to halt these atrocities and restore order.
“The government must not only apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators but must also do so swiftly and decisively. The blood of innocent Nigerians cries out for justice, and there must be no sanctuary for those who orchestrate or enable these horrors.
“We further demand that the Federal Government provide adequate compensation to victims and affected communities who have suffered unimaginable loss. An independent investigative panel must be established without delay, and its findings must be made public to ensure accountability and prevent further bloodshed.
Vanguard
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