Fulani herdsmen has unleashed fresh attack in Benue which led to the death of over 200 persons

 

Over 200 people have been reportedly killed in the last month in Benue.

Cattle used to illustrate the story.

Nigerians on social media have decried the alarming rate of violent killings being perpetrated in Benue State by suspected herders.

Trending the hashtag #BenueUnderAttack on Friday, Nigerian Twitter users called the attention of authorities to gory images as evidence of mass killings.

Over 200 people have been reportedly killed in the last month in Benue.

Earlier in the week, PREMIUM TIMES reported how suspected herders attacked Katsina Ala Local Government Area of the state, killing over a hundred residents and rendering many others homeless.

The governor of the state, Samuel Ortom, has repeatedly demanded the federal government’s intervention, noting that the attacks are increasingly overwhelming security agencies.

The state government, against the advice of the federal government, said it would not revert its ban on open grazing.

Mr Ortom has also urged the people to defend themselves against killer herders.

“I’ll no longer announce the deaths of those killed by Fulani herdsmen; rise up and defend yourselves with weapons not prohibited by law, bows and arrows, spears, knives, and similar ones,” Mr Ortom said on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the federal government said instead of banning open grazing, it would commence rehabilitation of grazing reserves.

The presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, on Monday, announced Mr Buhari’s approval of the rehabilitation of grazing reserves, stating that it would commence in June.

The move is aimed at curbing the bloody clashes between herders and farmers across the country.

But, Mr Ortom, in a swift response, kicked against the plan which he described as a misplaced priority.

“We find the move not only shocking and curious but also as a misplaced priority,” the governor said through his spokesperson, Terver Akase.

Although the killings in Benue are part of the larger insecurity across Nigeria, on Friday, calls to save the ‘food basket of the nation’ gained attention on social media.

Below are some of the reactions

@JajaPhD: The pictures are so gory. It is sad that these vulnerable were killed in their homeland by invaders. But to see how they were butchered like cattle evokes a deeper emotion. No one should die like this. #BenueUnderAttack

Nigeria has a lot of injustice to atone for but on a daily basis, there is even more injustice meted out to those whose only crime is being a combination of poor, innocent and vulnerable. #BenueUnderAttack

Everywhere you turn, you see bloodshed. What is the value of a Nigerian life? What is the value of a Nigerian life in Nigeria? How is it business as usual for the Nigerian government while they fail in their duty to secure lives and properties? #BenueUnderAttack

The pictures are so gory. It is sad that these vulnerable were killed in their homeland by invaders. But to see how they were butchered like cattle evokes a deeper emotion. No one should die like this.