By Our Reporter
Executive Secretary, Benue State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Dr. Emmanuel Shior weeps as not less than 9 persons were killed and many others injured as suspected armed Fulani herdsmen attacked the community hosting internally displaced persons camp, Abagena, Makurdi Local Council of Benue State.
While addressing the mourners and members of the community, Shior described the attack as inhuman, barbaric, and unacceptable.
He pointed out that there is nothing that should trigger a human being to attack a people who have accepted the faith of their circumstances and go to stay in the camps for safety.
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to live up to his responsibility to safeguard lives and properties of Nigerians.
His words: “My heart breaks a thousand times at the rate things keep degenerating retrogressively, to an extent that you never can tell who will be the next victim.”
Lamenting that Buhari failed to live to his constitutional responsibility of defending the country against Fulani Herdsmen terrorism and attacks by criminal elements in the country, he said “whether civilian or law enforcement agent, you can fall victim.”
“It’s a shame that the President, who is the Chief Security Officer of this country, wouldn’t rise up to defend the people who entrust their nerves into his hands.”
Dr. Shior however, said the people should continue to support Governor Samuel Ortom for his stance against the invaders, given that the country will one day attend to the cries of the Benue people.
He assured the panic IDPs to have faith in the Ortom’s government as security will be beefed up in the area to avoid future occurrence while he commiserated with families of the deceased and prayed God to give them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
The commissioner of Police, Benue State Command, Wale Abass also commiserated with the families of the deceased and promised to mount policemen in the area for surveillance.
The Mue Ter Ihyarev in Makurdi Local Government Area, Chief Simon Ajoh, expressed disappointment over the frequent attacks on the community and called for Federal Government’s intervention.
One of the victims who escaped death, Mr. Jacob Tarsaa, said some of the IDPs, on hearing gunshots, ran into the bush to escape being killed by the marauding Fulani Herdsmen.
Some of the IDPs and locals said that the herders, who stormed the community around 9: PM last night shot sporadically, killing nine IDPs who were asleep.
