27 killed in fresh Tiv/Fulani hostility in Benue

At least not less than Twenty seven persons have been killed and 17 are missing in Mbalagh council ward of Makurdi local government area in Benue State after suspected Fulani herders raid the area.

  it was learnt that the killings took place between last Saturday and Tuesday forcing women and children who suffered the most in the community to barricade the Makurdi-Lafia expressway yesterday in protest of the act.

The women’s action led to a four-hour traffic jam as both motorists and commuters coming into or going outside the state capital could not gain entry until soldiers attached to the 72 Battalion near the protest site dispersed the crowd with tear gas.

Speaking to newsmen about the development, 45-year-old Mnyam Mattew who was physically battered with injuries on his right eye alleged that the women trooped out to draw government’s attention to their plight.

Mattew, an indigene of the affected community, said the last straw which forced the women to the street as early as 7am yesterday was the rape of a 13-year-old girl.

Benue State Secretary of Myetti-Allah Garu Gololo debunked the allegation that the Fulanis invaded the affected community and killed many people; instead he presented a picture of ‘two fighting’.

He admitted that a fresh crisis actually broke out between the two parties five days ago after the Tiv villagers allegedly tampered with 200 cows belonging to the Fulani at Daudu, near Makurdi town.

Efforts to reach Colonel Lagbaja who is the Commander in charge of the 72 battalion did not yield result just as text message sent to his phone was not replied at the time of filing in this report.

Source: dailytrust