Rampaging herdsmen sack six Benue villages, loot food, livestock.

Barely four days after armed herdsmen invaded Mchia and Mou communities in Logo Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue State where 14 persons were murdered and close to 30 others injured, the marauders have invaded Ukemberagya/Tswarev Council Ward.

This time, they chased away the inhabitants, set houses ablaze, harvested their crops and stole their livestock.

The armed herders, who reportedly besieged the communities on Friday morning were said to have stormed the communities later at night to loot the property and valuables of the fleeing inhabitants.

According to a community leader in the area, Chief Joseph Anawa, who raised the alarm, the sacked villages include Tse Ikyem, Tsav, Tse Ijoho, Tse Ikyaan as well as Anawah and Mou settlements.

Anawa said: “On Friday, September 23, 2022, Fulani herdsmen connived with Jukun military to drive away Tiv people of Ukemberagya/Tswarev ward in Logo LGA from their farms and harvested their yam.

“On the night of the same day, they went on a destruction spree burning and looting the properties of Tiv people in the area. The affected communities are Anawah settlement, Tse Ikyem, Tsav, Tse Ijoho, Tse Ikyaan villages and Mou settlement where they broke into people’s houses.

“The marauders looted foodstuffs, animals, clothes and hundreds of sacks of groundnuts while houses were burnt at Tse Ikyem near Anawah settlement.

“The Local Government Council Chairman confirmed to us that some of the miscreants have been arrested.”

While lamenting that inhabitant of the communities had deserted their homes, he said “there is an urgent need for a security presence in the area. The security agents can be stationed at Chembe village and Iorza settlement for quick response.”

Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent, SP, Catherine Anene, who confirmed the development said: “I know of an attack at Logo but I don’t know who the attackers are yet.”