The death toll in the latest herdsmen massacre at Ukum, near Zaki Biam and other parts of the Sankera constituency in Benue state has climbed to 70.
This is not the first massacre by herdsmen in Benue. The most well known massacre was the January 1st, 2018 new year day Massacre in Guma and Logo local council when the government gave them a mass burial.
But even then, the new year day massacre was only more publicised. The worst herdsmen masaacre that claimed the highest number of lives inBenue state was the Agatu massacre of 2015. The death toll at Agatu was put between 300-500.
Right after the new-year day massacre, two catholic Priests were again slain in an early morning attack on a catholic in Gwer local council.
However, the latest masaacre is the most confounding to the people of Benue state. This particular massacre has a different character. The herders were brazen with a completely devil-may-care attitude.
While in all previous attacks, the herders came with stealth during hours designed to take their victims unawares, this time they came, mostly un broad day light, openly flaunting their AK 47s and other weapons in full public glare.
Read also: Benue villagers reject governor Alia in a viral video as death toll hits 55
The locals alerted the security agencies and even publicly posted the pictures of the marauders on the social media. Conventional news media outlets also carried the story of the arrival of the terrorists (including The Guardian) for a good more than 24 hours before they eventually struck.
And, as usual, there was no resistance. They killed, raped and maimed at will. On Saturday, the Benue state governor Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia put the death toll at 56. But the search was still going on. Between Saturday and Sunday, more dead bodies were discovered in the surrounding bushes and farms were some of the fleeing wounded had died as well as some of the critically injured at the hospitals. Senator representing Benue North East district Emmanuel Udende in a telephone chat with The Guardian put the death toll so far at 70.
Though the incumbent Ukum and Logo council chairmen did not answer their calls or responded to text messages to their phones, the immediate past chairman of Ukum Iorzaa Victor Msuega who is also involved in the rescue missions also put the death toll at 70.
Iorzaa said that as at yesterday when the governor visited, the death toll was 56, but more dead bodies have been discovered since then. We have counted up to 70 bodies in all since he (the governor) left.
Meanwhile, Senator Udende has described the continous attacks on the Benue people as “unacceptable”. In a statement on Sunday signed by his media Adviser Jerry Iorngaem and made available to The Guardian, the Senator expressed disappointment that “the recent coordinated attacks by marauding armed herdsmen in Gbagir, Mbatyu, Une, and Mbater, all in Logo, Ukum and Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas that resulted to loss of innocent lives, including those of children was despite prior information about the influx of attackers , yet no measure was activated by security operatives to thwart the killings”.
“This is no longer a random occurrence. It appears to be an organised and premeditated onslaught. We cannot continue to sit back and watch our people being slaughtered for no reason.”
Similarly, other prominent Benue leaders like former Senate President David Mark has also spoken up. “This is no longer a random occurrence. It appears to be an organised and premeditated onslaught. We cannot continue to sit back and watch our people being slaughtered for no reason,” he said.
The current siege on Benue state is so far the most far reaching and the most sustained by the herdsmen terrorists. Otukpo, Ado and other councils in the Benue South Senatorial district have been under sustained attacks in recent weeks.
Ironically, while before attacks were carried out at communities living on the border with Nassarawa and Taraba states, now the herders have started making incursions into the hinterland. Otukpo for instance, is not a border local government council. So is Buruku local government council in Benue northwest were the herders have also sacked communities in Mbaya ward.
Governor Hyacinth Alia has nevertheless appealed to the people not to take laws into their hands. After an on-the-spot assessment of the situation, the governor posted on his verified facebook page and described the pogrom as “unacceptable”
“Today, I visited the grieving communities of Ukum and Logo LGAs where our people have fallen victim to senseless and barbaric attacks by suspected herdsmen. As of this moment, we mourn the loss of 56 innocent souls: fathers, mothers, children, cut down in cold blood.
This is unacceptable.
I have called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene and take decisive action to put an end to these attacks. Our people deserve to live in peace, farm in peace, and raise their families without fear.
I met with local leaders, community members, and victims. I heard your pain. I saw your strength. And I assure you, you are not alone. We will not abandon you. We are already reinforcing security in the Sankera axis and other parts of Benue, and emergency relief is being extended to affected areas.
I strongly urge our people to remain calm and not take laws into their own hands. The path to peace is hard, but it is the only way forward!”
Notwithstanding, the Benue people have lost confidence in the sincerity or ability of the Nigerian security to protect them after enduring 15 years of sustanined pogroms.
