Death toll from Benue herdsmen attack now 36, as ex-Gov Suswam blasts Buhari

The death toll in a reprisal attack on Wednesday by herders on the Gbeji community in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State has risen to 36 from the 16 earlier reported.

The state Commissioner of Police, Wale Abass, had, in a statement on Thursday, confirmed the killing of two police officers and 16 residents by the herdsmen who carried out a reprisal attack on the community following the killing of five herders.

The new figure was given when ex-Governor Gabriel Suswam visited the area on Friday to condole with the people.

During the visit to the affected community, Suswam who is now the Senator representing Benue North East Senatorial district in the National Assembly, lampooned the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration for turning a blind eye and sleeping on its responsibilities of protecting the lives and properties of Nigerians.

While lamenting the attack and the killing of his farming constituents, Senator Suswam said such a brazen act was an indication that the Federal Government did not care about the security of the people as it was exposing its nakedness by allowing the killings to continue.

READ ALSO:Suspected herdsmen kill 5 in Benue community

“The killings of our innocent people has once again exposed the ineptitude and lackadaisical attitude of the President in the protection of the lives and property of the people he swore to protect,” Suswam said.

“Only one week ago, I visited Mchia which is within the same radius as Gbeji where 22 persons were murdered and several others injured.

“These incessant killings are highly unacceptable and unfortunate, it smacks of neglect by the Federal Government on the people.

“I urge you to rise up and defend themselves from the killer herders because the Federal Government has failed in its responsibilities.

“The Federal Government has gone to sleep and doesn’t care about the security of the people. These are peasant farmers whose property have been destroyed and their lives decapitated.

“I commend the bravery and gallantry of our security agencies but they are overstretched under the circumstance.

“Honestly, I cannot sleep in Abuja while our people and mothers who farm food that we eat are killed in this way,” he advised.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now