No fewer than sixteen persons have been reportedly killed in a fresh attack by suspected herdsmen on Agagbe community in Gwer West Local Government Areas of Benue State.
Commander of the joint military operation in the state code named, Operation Whirl Stroke, OPWS, Major-General Adeyemi Yekini, who confirmed the attack, said seven corpses had so far been recovered by his troops from the community.
Major General Yekini said he received report from Sub-Sector Commander of OPWS in Gwer West Local Government Area, Flying Officer Mohammed Abubakar, that on Saturday, some of his reliable sources from Agagbe informed him that some men dressed in military uniform were sighted in Agagbe forest rustling cows and he quickly mobilised his men to the area and found three dead bodies, which were moved to a hospital in the area.
He said, his personnel embarked on a search as well as carried out the investigation and discovered that those behind the rustling of cows were in military uniform.
He added that yesterday, his men went on mop-up patrol and discovered another additional four dead bodies at the scene of the incident.
Major General Yekini expressed regrets that some unseen hands might be at work to create a state of crisis in the state, ahead of the governorship and state Assembly elections, a week to the polls.
Meanwhile the Kebbi state chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, has urged security agencies in the country to retrieve illegally acquired weapons from unauthorized persons.
The state chairman of the association, Alhaji Muhammad Ardo-Zuru, disclosed this while addressing newsmen in Birnin Kebbi.
He said sustainable peace will continue to elude Nigeria if such weapons, including guns and ammunition are left in the hands of criminals.
Alhaji Ardo-Zuru, expressed the desire of the Miyyeti Allah to cooperate with government and security agencies to maintain peace.
He added that they are not in support of the call that communities should take laws into their hands, in the name of defending themselves.
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