Herdsmen – Precise Post

Herdsmen Attacks: Stop this carnage now – Group urges FG, Intn’l community

March 20, 2024March 20, 2024 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

By Callistus Agwaza, Jalingo The Ayatutu Cultural and Social Development Initiative (AYACASODI) on Wednesday called on the Federal government and the international community to expediently tackle the issue of incessant attacks on Tiv communities by killer herdsmen before the carnage gets out of control. The national President of the group Chief Timothy Baaki, who disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday said that the continued attacks have led to the death of thousands, displacement of even more people and distruction to property beyond imagination. Baaki stated that “we address you today with saddened and heavy hearts, in order to condemn the continuous invasions and killings of harmless Tiv people by Fulani killer herdsmen. It is no longer news that the safety and security of the Tiv people in Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa States are under grave threat. For too long, we have endured the terror inflicted upon us by marauding herdsmen who have brought untold suffering and death to our doorsteps. Our once peaceful communities have become a battleground, where innocent lives are lost at alarming rate. Families have …

News

Benue crisis: Otukpo, Apa and Agatu under siege as herdsmen kill over 500

February 12, 2024February 12, 2024 - by Lovina - Leave a Comment

Benue State, the nation’s food basket, is trapped in an endless crisis. Residents of over 200 villages now find themselves targeted daily by heavily armed herdsmen, reportedly cloaked in military camouflage. It was gathered that over the past three months, the toll has been staggering, with over 500 lives allegedly lost within three local government areas in Benue South Senatorial District, known as Idoma land. Villages in Otukpo, Apa and Agatu LGAs are bearing the brunt, with reports of marauders butchering several locals, leaving many homes completely burned down and numerous residents still missing. The perpetrators, however, remain elusive, with no one claiming responsibility for the heinous attacks, though locals point fingers at ‘Fulani herdsmen.’ Bloodbath returns to Agatu Agatu, which enjoyed relative peace in recent years, has once again been visited with bloodbath, extending to neighbouring communities and local government areas like Apa and Otukpo. The latest wave of violence that ravaged Agatu, left communities like Ogwumogbo, Ikpele, Ejima, Okokolo, Olegomakwu, Olegonyilo, Nahem, Ocholonya, Abugbe, Ugboju, Odugbeho and Olegobidu decimated, with numerous lives lost. What started as a mere …

News

How 11 Persons Were Killed Over Misunderstanding Between Community Members And Herdsmen

April 22, 2023April 22, 2023 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

By Ogechi Okorie No fewer than 11 people have been killed in the Tatara Mada community in Kokona Local Government of Nasarawa State, following a misunderstanding between a young man from the community and some Fulani herdsmen in the area. Some of the displaced residents who said they managed to get back to their community on Saturday, said the community that had been a beehive of activities is now desolate, leaving only security operatives on the ground to patrol its nooks and crannies to forestall any more crises. Some of the people said they escaped death by the whiskers They said they are still in shock that a little misunderstanding between a young adult and some Fulani herdsmen in the area could degenerate into a full-scale communal clash. Tatara Mada community has been under attack for over five days now with most of the residents who fled the community still not sure of when to return to their ancestral homes, despite the presence of security operatives. Tatara Mada community has about 10 thousand inhabitants, who are predominantly farmers, but they …

News

Over 60 People Killed In Herdsmen Attacks On Taraba Communities

July 23, 2022July 23, 2022 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

By Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo Over Sixty persons are reportedly killed and thousands displaced with several villages burnt to the ground in a spate of attacks on communities in Ussa, parts of Takum and Yangtu Special development areas of Taraba state. Mr Habila Timothy Anderifun, the member Representing Ussa state constituency at the State House of Assembly disclosed this on Saturday while addressing a press conference on the disturbing development in the area. Anderifun who said that the attacks by suspected herdsmen intensified and have continued unabated in the last two months, wondered that the terrorists have continued to operate unchallenged in the same area that they killed about six military officers in an ambush. “It is with pains in my heart and deep sense of responsibility that I address you today over the unprovoked attacks and sustained killing of the people of Ussa and parts of Takum Local Government Areas. For months now, the good people of Ussa whom I represent in the State House of Assembly and their kits and kins in so many communities in Takum Local Government …

Opinion

Tale Of 300 Cows, Herders By Emeka Omeihe

May 2, 2022May 2, 2022 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

Those familiar with South East terrain must have been jolted when the leadership of cattle breeders alleged the rustling of 300 cows and kidnap of 10 herders in the Ogbaru local government area of Anambra state.The story re-enacted sad memories of the Chibok, Kankara and Kagara incidents where hundreds of students were abducted from their hostels and hurled into thick forests without any trace? The only difference being cows were more involved than humans. Could this be possible in that region given its terrain?Even if it was possible to kidnap 10 herders and keep them out of public view, it appeared a remote possibility that 300 cows could just disappear in such environment without being traced in few hours.Such was the feeling when South East Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria MACBAN, Gidado Siddiki alleged the abduction of 10 herders and rustling of 300 cows by gunmen. He had also alleged the gunmen established contacts demanding N4million ransom and one gun from the families of the victims.But Anambra state police command in a statement, “Update on the …

News

Ortom Seeks FG’s Intervention For Victims Of Herdsmen Attack

April 26, 2022April 26, 2022 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

By Chris Udochukwu Abuja – Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has called on the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management to offer more interventions to victims of herdsmen attacks in the State as it is being done to other States across the country. Governor Ortom stated this on Tuesday, April 26th 2022 during the flagoff of the Victims Support Fund intervention programme in the State initiated by the TY Danjuma Foundation. According to the statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Benue Governor, Nathaniel Ikyur made available to Precise Post, Ortom expressed appreciation to General Theophilus Danjuma for his humanitarian works, saying through the Victims Support Fund, he has been able to assist the State to offer succour to victims of terrorism any time the State called on him. Inaugurating the programme at the Ortese IDP camp, Guma local government area, leader of the Victim Support Fund team, Mrs Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji said the intervention was to support victims of attacks in six local governments in the State including Guma, Logo, Konshisha, Gwer West, Ado and Oju, pointing …

News

Ortom Grieves As Fulani Herdsmen Kill Scores In Benue

March 30, 2022March 30, 2022 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

By Chris Udochukwu Abuja (Precise Post) – Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has expressed grief over the sustained invasion and killing of Benue people by Fulani herdsmen. The governor who was reacting to the recent murderous activities of Fulani herdsmen in Benue with scores hacked to death in unprovoked attacks called on Benue communities to rise up and defend themselves. The Chief Press Secretary to the Benue state governor, Nathaniel Ikyur disclosed this on Wednesday in a statement made available to Precise Post in Abuja. According to the statement, there were coordinated attacks on Guma, Kwande and Gwer West local government areas of the state on Tuesday, March 29th, 2022. A report from the team leader of security agencies in Kasekyo near Tse Torkula village in Guma local government said that suspected Fulani herders at about 0930 hours on Tuesday, March 29th, 2022 shot one Turner Ajar and an unidentified elderly man who were on a motorcycle going to the farm. The team of Agro Rangers who were on patrol in the area ran into the attack, unfortunately, the victims …

News

Declare Killer Herdsmen In Benue Terrorists – HURIWA To FG

February 23, 2022February 23, 2022 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

…says security agents must arrest militiamen terrorising Benue communities, calls for prosecution: By Chris Udochukwu Abuja (Precise Post) – Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria(HURIWA), on Wednesday, condemned the brazen act of Fulani herdsmen who invaded some communities in the Logo Local Government Area of Benue State, forcibly displacing autochthonous dwellers to plan permanent settlement. According to Joseph Anawah, a community leader and former media aide to an ex-governor of the state, Gabriel Suswam, the herders invaded the communities with more than 1,000 cows and settled at the Tse Azaye, Tse Agah, Tse Getim and Tse Iosun communities in the Tombo ward. This was contained in a statement signed by National Coordinator – HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA),Emmanuel Onwubiko made available to Precise Post in Abuja. Anawah said, “They are so hostile and do not want anybody to come close to them. The residents, on sighting the arrival of cows, started packing out of their villages for the fear of the unknown. “When the kindred Head of the Mbaifu community, Gbamga Nengem, visited their …

News

Police Recover Herder’s Corpse And Arrest Suspect In Kwara

December 28, 2021December 28, 2021 - by Precise Post - Leave a Comment

The lifeless body of a herder, Yau Ibrahima, who was allegedly killed after he led a herd of cattle for open grazing on Christmas Day in Elega, a sleepy community in Asa Local Council of Kwara state has been recovered by the police. Guardian reports that Ibrahima was allegedly found dead by a search party inside the bush with his feet and hands firmly tied with ropes, after the cattle returned home in the evening, without him. The incident could have led to a bloody clash between herdsmen and people of Elega, but was averted by men and officers of the state police command who stepped in to stop a reprisal mission by the herdsmen for the alleged murder of their kinsman. Confirming this development to newsmen, the spokesperson for the command, SP Ajayi Okasanmi, said a suspect has been arrested in connection with the alleged murder, while the corpse of the deceased has been deposited at an unnamed morgue for autopsy and further investigations. He, however, debunked claims that security guards were rounded off by herdsmen and locked up …

News

Uncertainty over alleged abduction of five travellers in Niger

November 26, 2021November 26, 2021 - by Precise Post - Leave a Comment

Armed men suspected to be bandits on Thursday abducted five people along Beji-Manta road in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State. It was gathered that the people were waylaid and abducted on their way from the weekly Beji market by the bandits and whisked them away to an unknown destination. An eye witness called in a radio phone-in programme to brief the Secretary to the Niger State Government, Ahmed Matane, of the abduction. The caller who identified himself as Umar stated that he called in to inform the SSG of the situation because the security agencies in the state were unaware of the abduction, adding that as a result, no move had been made to rescue the victims. While responding to the caller, the SSG affirmed that there had been several incidences of underreported abductions in the state saying that most cases were not reported through the conventional channels. Matane said the state government was unaware of the abduction but would take immediate action now that it had been brought to its notice to ensure that the abductees were …

News

Kanu’s detention: MASSOB tackles CNG’s call for ex-minister, Igbo leaders’ arrest

November 25, 2021November 25, 2021 - by Precise Post - Leave a Comment

The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra has frowned on the call by a northern group, the Coalition of Northern Groups, to arrest Igbo leaders led by the first republic minister and a republican parliamentarian, Chief Mbazuliki Amechi, for appealing to the president, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to release Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra. MASSOB, in statement on Wednesday, signed by its National Director of Information, Comrade Edeaon Samuel, said the group should be punished for its unpatriotic and unguarded utterances. It also strongly condemned the recent invasion of an Enugu community by the military that led to the death of three women. The statement said, “The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of condemned the Coalition of Northern Group and their sponsors on their unguarded and stupid statements against Chief Mbazuruike Amaechi-led Igbo patriotic leaders that visited Major General Mohammadu Buhari in Aso Villa for an interface meeting concerning the detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and agitation clamours for an independent state of Biafra. “MASSOB views this attack …

News

Suspected Herdsmen Kidnap 8-year-old Daughter Of Vigilante Chairman In Enugu Community

November 24, 2021November 24, 2021 - by Precise Post - Leave a Comment

An 8-year-old girl has been abducted by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Agu-Amede community, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State. The victim is said to be the daughter of the Chairman, Agu-Amede community Neighbourhood Watch Group, Mr Sunday Olinya popularly known as ‘Sunday Sharia Driver’ It was gathered that the gunmen numbering about seven stormed Olinya’s house with AK-47 rifles on Sunday, November 21 but he managed to escape. They kidnapped his daughter, Nmesoma, after allegedly ransacking the house and stealing some valuables. Sources told PUNCH that the attack seemed connected with the insistence of Agu-Amede community, where Olinya is the chairman, that herdsmen should not come to destroy farm crops in their community three weeks ago after over 50 hectares of rice farms that were almost ready for harvest were destroyed by cows. Orinya, who confirmed the attack and the abduction of his daughter on Monday, said that he had reported the incident to the police and some officers had visited his house twice. “I was sleeping around 1 am on Sunday morning and I heard a bang on …

News

Fulani Herdsmen Killed 1,773 People In Benue – Council Chairmen

November 16, 2021November 16, 2021 - by Precise Post - Leave a Comment

At least one thousand seven hundred and seventy-three innocent persons have been killed in Benue State by Fulani herdsmen between 2018 till date, Local Government Chairmen in the state have revealed. Local Government Chairmen and leaders of socio-cultural organisations in the state made the revelation on Monday during a press conference in Makurdi the state capital. According to them, the casualties reflect just the number of corpses recovered from different attacks across the state. The local leaders noted that the armed herdsmen had taken the advantage of open grazing to carry out the gruesome killing of peasant farmers who were only working on their farmlands. The council bosses further lamented the negative impact of open grazing which according to them have resulted in attacks on communities in different parts of Benue State. They stressed that the sad events have adversely affected the local economy as farmers are prevented from accessing their farms and local markets are also deserted for fear of imminent invasion by the killers. Speaking at the conference, Ukum council boss, Steve Ayua, said the herdsmen no longer …

News

See School Sheik Gumi Built For Herdsmen In Kaduna Forest

November 16, 2021November 16, 2021 - by Editor - Leave a Comment

By Our Reporter Kaduna (Precise Post) – As part of measures to curb banditry and general insecurity, Kaduna based Islamic Scholar Sheikh (Dr) Ahmad Gumi has built schools for herdsmen in the Kaduna forests. Gumi said that the insecurity situation in the country can become a thing of the past, saying bandits are ready to drop their arms if education opportunities and other basic amenities are provided for Fulani herdsmen at the grassroots. The sheikh stated this on Sunday while on an inspection tour of Sheikh Uthman Bin Fodio Centre, a school built by Sheikh Gumi funded Mosque Foundation Limited, at Kagarko Grazing Reserve near Kohoto Village in Kagarko local government area of Kaduna State. Sheikh Gumi said if the centre, which is designed to educate herdsmen, is replicated everywhere in the country, Nigerians will live in peace, adding that, instead of spending billions on military hardware to fight the bandits, Nigeria should spend money on schools and teachers. The Islamic scholar stated categorically that, he had spoken with the bandits and they have expressed willingness to drop their arms …

News

Fulani Herdsmen Have Taken Over Some Kwara Communities, Now More Than Their Hosts – Governor AbdulRazaq Laments

November 1, 2021November 1, 2021 - by Precise Post - Leave a Comment

Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has lamented the influx of Fulani herdsmen in his state. According to him, the insecurity in the North-West region has brought a migration of Fulani herdsmen to the state, causing the herdsmen to outnumber the natives in some local Government Areas. The governor in an interview with journalists said Kwara South and Kwara North communities were the most victims, while lamenting that the ban on open grazing had not tackled the problem of farmers-herdsmen crisis. AbdulRazaq said, “Security challenges are huge, especially with insecurity in the North-West, and the declaration by Southern Governors to ban open grazing. Once they pronounced it and set a date, we saw a migration of herdsmen coming in to the extent that if you go to Kwara South, Kwara North now, in some villages, the Fulani have moved in. They are more in population than the indigenes. “Many times, I have engaged with the traditional rulers, especially to say, let’s be accommodating, it will soon pass. The ban on open grazing is a law that cannot be enforced. It’s about …

News

Police Not Willing To Arrest Criminal Herdsmen In Ondo – Governor Akeredolu Cries

October 26, 2021October 26, 2021 - by Precise Post - Leave a Comment

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has lashed out at the Nigerian police. The governor accused the police of refusing to arrest criminal herdsmen disturbing some parts of the state. The governor stated this on Monday at the 27th Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja with the theme “Securing Our Future: The Fierce Urgency of Now.” Akeredolu said, “Yes, you have criminal trespass. It should be treated by the state. All we had before Amotekun was the police that had the duty to arrest and were not prepared to make an arrest. Things are changing and have really changed in Ondo State. “Today, if you trespass on other people’s land, the Amotekun will go after you and arrest you. They pay compensation to the farmers, and when they fail, they are in court. It is the only way you can send signals to the people.” He pointed out that “when you commit a crime, and the hands of law don’t catch up with you, another person will repeat it.” On open grazing, Akeredolu said nomadic pastoralism was a culture that must …