By Abubakar Umar Mahmud
The death toll from the herdsmen attack on Ukum and Logo local government areas of Benue State has increased to twenty as security forces and residents comb the affected communities in search of survivors.
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, disclosed this in a telephone conversation with Channels Television gave details of the casualty figures.
Governor Alia said, five corpses were recovered earlier in Gbagir and taken to the morgue, but later, civilians searching for their loved ones discovered two more corpses.
He said a family in Gbagir that insisted on burying their relative immediately had been provided cover letters by security forces to perform brief burial rites.
The state government reiterated its commitment to the safety of lives and prosperity, with the assurance to Benue residents to volunteer information to security agencies to deal with insecurity promptly.
The development comes after the Police Public Relations Officer for Benue State, Sewuese Anene, and said information was received that a large number of the suspected militia had invaded the Sankera axis of the state, and the police moved in to engage the militia in Gbagir, where they had killed five more persons.
The Commissioner of Police, Benue State Police Command, Steve H Yabanet warns social media users who are reporting unconfirmed reports and inciting the general public to desist from such actions that are capable of creating unnecessary tension in the state. He reiterates his commitment to fighting the attackers and encourages the good people of Sankera to continue to cooperate with the police as the operation is ongoing.
Suspected herdsmen stepped up violent attacks in no fewer than three communities in the Otukpo Local Government Area of the state.
The communities affected during the attacks include Emichi, Odudaje, and Okpamaju, all in Otukpo, where five persons were killed in February. The communities came under simultaneous attacks just a day after the killing of 11 persons at Otobi Community.
