Fulani Herdsmen Resume Attacks, Kill Over 50 Persons In Benue Communities As Nigerian Police Dispute Casualty Figures

Fulani herdsmen have invaded six communities in the Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, North Central Nigeria and killed no less than 50 persons, less than a week to the governorship and House of Assembly elections on Saturday, March 11.

Although the police in Benue State said the casualty figure was not up to 50, it could not provide counter details.

The affected communities in the four-day attack are Adam, Iyarinwa, Abamde Ityuluv, Waya Boagundu, Agura Ayaga and Azege areas in Turan Council Ward, Kwande LGA.

The former chairman of the Council Tertsua Yarkbewan, who confirmed the casualty figures while addressing journalists, on Monday, said the death toll could be more.

Lamenting the constant invasion and killing of his people by herdsmen, Yarkbewan said, “My people are being massacred like goats. What we have been hearing is that there are Fulani attacks, especially in Turan in the Kwande axis. Even places where there were no attacks before are witnessing attacks.

“Now, every day you hear that five or four people were killed, you cannot have the exact number of those that have been killed because some corpses are still in the bush and yet to be recovered. But looking at the number of people being killed in the past few days, I think the casualty figures should be over 50.”

Reacting to the incident, the Police Command spokesperson, Catherine Anene, confirmed the attack but said the normalcy have returned to the affected communities.

Anene, however, insisted that casualty figure wasn't correct.

“They have not given me the report but it is not up to 50; the initial report they gave me there was a change of leadership of the division. The new DPO just reported last Friday and when I asked him to give me a situation report he said the area is calm now," she said.