From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
Gunmen, suspected to be herdsmen militia, have killed six people, including three members of the State Community Volunteer Guards (SCVG), in Guma Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State.
The six people were killed on Tuesday night, when the herdsmen attacked Tse Gyer/Ayem in Mbawa Council Ward of Guma local government area of the state.
The Executive Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Dr Emmanuel Shior, who spoke to newsmen in Daudu, headquarters of Guma LGA, yesterday, said the deceased guards are Timothy Mbawa, Igber Sunday and Aondowase Asema. Others include Akombo Igyever, Sunday Semaka and Aloysius Ayua. Shior said several displaced people were taken to the existing IDP camps in Daudu and Ukpiam.
Confirming the attack, Security Adviser to Governor Samuel Ortom, Lt Col. Paul Hemba (retd) told newsmen on phone that three members of the State Volunteer Guards and a hunter, who were on a joint patrol with policemen, were killed.
“Three members of Benue State Community Volunteer Guards and a hunter were killed yesterday (Tuesday) by suspected bandits, while on a joint patrol with policemen. They were ambushed by armed herdsmen between Ortese and Ngban villages,” he said.
He said the body of one hunter was recovered alongside the bodies of the volunteer guards members, adding that the armed herders went away with weapons and handsets belonging to the deceased.
“They (armed herders) have been calling to claim that the government in the state promised to give them land in the area to settle and graze,” Hemba said.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer for the State Command, Catherine Anene, said she was yet to receive the report.
The District Head of Mbanyiar community in Guma LGA, Chief Oliver Kahachado, has appealed to the Federal Government to rise up to its responsibility of securing life and property, by sending adequate security to Benue State and Guma LGA, in particular.
Kahachado, who noted that his people are farmers, said: “It is a disgrace that none of us can go to our homes or farmlands. None of us are from Daudu town, but we have left our villages to live in Daudu town. As the rainy season has come, nobody can go to the farm. Those who went yesterday, Tuesday, were killed, six of them.
“We have been appealing to the federal government through our governor, Samuel Ortom, but we have not seen any change. We are, again, appealing to our president, Muhammadu Buhari, to send security to come down and defend us.
“In Daudu alone, you see IDPs camp one, two and three. Others are sleeping in uncompleted buildings. When the rains come, they suffer from it. All our schools are not functioning, all the schools in Mbawa, Ashiriu, Mbagwen, Mbabai, Mbadwen, Uvir are closed. All the teachers and their pupils are in the IDP camps because of the attacks. So, we are begging the federal government to come to our aid,” he said.