Two people were feared killed and three others injured Friday evening as suspected herders clashed with livestock guards in Makurdi, capital of Benue State.
The crisis, according to locals happened at Kwua community behind Modern Market in Makurdi between 4 pm and 6 pm on Friday when livestock guards tried to impound some cows that were allegedly grazing openly and destroying farm crops
A resident of the community who identified himself as Aondover told newsmen on Saturday that two people lost their lives and three personnel of the livestock guards sustained an injury during the clash.
Aondover explained that some members of the Kwua community who sighted Fulani herders grazing their cattle openly and destroying farm crops in the area alerted livestock guards who swiftly responded.
He said, “Immediately the livestock guards arrived and saw the cows grazing openly they impounded the cows and were conveying them to their office for violating the anti-open grazing law in the state.
“Unfortunately, some of the herders’ who saw the guards impounding their cows quickly rushed to the Wadata area of the town and informed the Hausa boys claiming that some Tiv boys came to rustle their cows.
“The Hausa boys mobilised themselves and trailed the guards until they intercepted them close to Modern Market gate and started shooting sporadically in order to rescue their cows.
“It was at that point that two persons were gunned down and three others macheted.”
Aondover said that the police patrol team later arrived at the scene and evacuated the injured persons.
Confirming the incident, the Special Adviser to the governor on Internal Security, Joseph Har said that some hoodlums attacked livestock guard personnel who had gone to enforce the anti-open grazing law.
Har said in the statement made available to newsmen on Saturday, “It happened as you inquired that some cattle were astrayed grazing on farms along the River bank axis and the attention of the livestock guards was drawn to it.
“The livestock guards apprehended the cattle but they came under attack at the modern market gate by youths numbering up to 60 armed with guns and matchets from Wadata.
“They shot and severally cut personnel of the Benue State Livestock Guard and recovered the cattle. Operation Zenda were drafted but they too were attacked by the hoodlums in Wadata.”
The security adviser further said that the combined team of the Anti Cultism, Zenda, D5, BSCPG and the BSLG swung into action and conducted an operation around the area where two more persons were arrested and the Bajaj motorbike that the Wadata boys stole was recovered from them.
“Thereafter, the team proceeded to the notorious Awe street where 11 persons were arrested,” Har said.
Meanwhile, efforts to get the reaction of the Police Public Relations Officer for the state command, Catherine Anene were not successful as she did not pick up her call.
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