Armed herders, Boko Haram kill soldiers, others in Benue, Borno

At least three persons were killed yesterday by gunmen suspected to be armed herdsmen at Yelewata community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, even as Boko Haram insurgents attacked a military formation in Borno, killing two soldiers.

This came as chairman of the Senate Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity, Senator Diket Plang, yesterday, alleged that foreign armed groups, working with local collaborators, were behind recent killings in Bokkos LGA of Plateau State.

The Yelewata attack, which occurred after a similar incident claimed over 200 lives in the same community some weeks ago, came weeks after President Bola Tinubu visited Benue State and set up a committee to resolve the spate of killings in the state.

It was gathered from a government official in the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity, that the victims were attacked on their farms.

He said: “The victims had gone to the farm today (yesterday) when the armed herders attacked them. They killed three people, and three other persons luckily escaped with injuries, though some others also escaped without injuries.

“It was the attack that angered our people, mostly women who took over the Makurdi-Lafia Road to protest killings that the security agencies cannot stop.

“We are worried that Yelewata will be attacked again after all the promises by the government to ensure that the community is safe to enable the over 3,000 displaced persons to return home. Unfortunately, with this incident, the displaced persons who are currently taking refuge in Makurdi will be reluctant to come back home.”

When contacted, Special Adviser to Governor Hyacinth Alia on Security and Internal Affairs, Joseph Har, who confirmed the development, claimed that the attack happened outside Yelewata.

Har said: “It’s true there was an attack today (yesterday), and it happened in a community close to Yelewata. Three people were killed and three others sustained injuries, but the road that was blocked has been opened.”

When contacted, the Chairman of Guma LGA, Maurice Orwough, also confirmed the incident and the protest at Yelewata and appealed to all persons of goodwill to work for peace.

Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent, DSP, Udeme Edet, said she had no details of the incident.

Meanwhile, the attack sparked angry protests by women of the community who blocked the Makurdi-Lafia road at Yelewata in protest over the killings.

The women who sang as they occupied the highways, were heard calling on government to stop armed herdsmen from killing them and occupying their community.