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Hours after Buhari left, herdsmen killed Catechist, others in Benue

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Barely 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari visited Benue and even assured them of ending the wanton killings in the state, the dreaded killer headsmen, are said to have attacked and killed several people in Tse Igbe in Nyiev council ward, Guma Local Government Area (LGA).

The attack which reportedly took place Tuesday evening left one Christopher Unenge, a Catholic catechist, another villager identified as Ayem Mbakuughur, among several others dead, while many houses were also allegedly razed down.

The attack came despite the heavy deployment of operatives of the Nigeria Police and Army to the state.

It was learnt that following the attack that the entire village has been deserted by the villagers, who abandoned their homes for the herdsmen.

The police are yet to respond to the report.

READ ALSO: EU tasks Buhari on herdsmen-farmers clashes

Herdsmen had also a day before Buhari’s visit to Benue, attacked and killed two policemen.

Nigerians had hoped that Buhari’s decision to finally visit some of the states most affected by herdsmen killings across the country would aid in solving the attacks.

That however has not been the case. Attacks and killings by herdsmen in Taraba, Plateau and now Benue, all visited by Buhari, have continued seemingly unabated.

Meanwhile, five herdsmen identified as Yusufu Buhari, 22; Hamidu Mama, 11; Saleh Muhammadu, 22; Ali Ibrahim, 12, and Idi Bature, 11, have all bagged a 27-month sentence on charges of criminal conspiracy and open grazing.

The herders who were paraded at the Makurdi Magistrate’s Court before the Magistrate, Mr. Emmanuel Azembe confessed and pleaded guilty to the crime after they were found culpable by the court.

According to the prosecutor, the offence committed by the herdsmen contravened Section 97 of the Penal Code and Section 19(2) of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017.

However, Mr. Azembe gave the convicts an option to each pay N30, 000 as fine for criminal conspiracy.

“For the offence of Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017, they are sentenced to 24 months in federal medium prison or each to pay a fine of N30, 000.

“The sentences are to run concurrently,” Azembe ruled.

Reports say the herdsmen were arrested on March 7 by a Joint Task Force led by ASC Terna Raphael of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Makurdi.

 

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