From Attah Ede
The chairman of Ado Local Government Area of Benue State, Sunday Oche, has raised the alarm over armed herders’ rampage in some communities of the council.
Oche said that innocent farmers and other members of the communities were attacked over the weekend, leaving two people severely injured.
He added that the latest incident was the attack on mourners in the Ulayi axis on Sunday.
According to Oche, in the last two days, armed herders went on the rampage in three communities — Ijigban, Ulayi and Utonkon — where they attacked mourners and farmers, inflicting severe injuries on no fewer than two persons and making away with three motorcycles.
Oche raised the alarm on Monday while speaking with newsmen in Makurdi.
He said that armed herdsmen had, between Saturday and Sunday afternoon, ambushed and attacked mourners who were taking a deceased body from a mortuary at Igumale to their hometown in the Ulayi community.
According to him, “the marauders succeeded in matcheting two persons identified as Hon. Philip Okpekwu and Dr Benedict Ogaba.
“The injury sustained by Philip Okpekwu was severe, but we were able to evacuate him to the General Hospital, Igumale (headquarters of the LGA), for immediate medical attention and all the bills were paid.”
He added that when there was no improvement, Okpekwu was later referred to Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi.
He said that the herders who attacked farmers at Utonkon on Sunday were arrested and had agreed to pay compensation for the crops they destroyed.
The chairman, however, called on the federal and state governments to deploy more security personnel to flashpoint areas in the council.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, said she would get back to our correspondent, but had yet to do so as at the time of filing this report.
