The Ter Tyoshin, and Chairman of Gwer West Traditional Council, in Benue State, Daniel Abomtse, has cried out that all local governments in the state have been occupied by herdsmen.
Agatu, Ukum, Gwer and other communities of Benue have been heavily attacked by herdsmen.
According to Governor Hyacinth Alia, the attacks were not farmer-herder clashes but ethnic cleansing aimed at sacking the indigenous communities to take over their ancestral lands.
In an interview with Vanguard, Ter Tyoshin, Abomtse, said the fate of Benue communities in the hands of armed herdsmen was worse than terrorist activities in Borno State.
He disclosed that the attacks, which started in 2011, have taken over all 23 local governments in the state. He narrated that all the districts of the Gwer West council area were occupied by herdsmen.
Abomtse added that two-thirds of the 23 council areas of Benue have been occupied by herdsmen, indigenous communities have been attacked, sacked and many residents killed.
His words: “These attacks started in 2011. And so far, all the Districts of Gwer West have been occupied by armed herdsmen. The owners of the land have been sent packing and they are congealed in the headquarters of the Local Government. All of us are now in Naka.
“In the communities, the killer herdsmen are there, those that are rearing animals are there, those that are committing banditry and kidnappings are there.
“We cannot transverse Naka-Adoka road, same for Naka-Taraku road and of course Naka-Makurdi road is a no go area, it is a death trap.
“In Kwande LGA, as we speak, more than six districts are under siege. In Guma LGA, it is a similar situation, out of the 10 districts, none is left. In Makurdi, tht has 11 districts, it is only the metropolis that is left.
“In Logo, most of the local governments have been taken over. Ukum Local Government Area is the hotbed of attacks.
“The surrounding communities of Otukpo local government are no longer safe, same with parts of Agatu and Apa council areas.
“So, out of the 23 LGAs of the state more than two-thirds are gone. They are in the hands of the terrorists masquerading as herdsmen. There is an urgent need, therefore, to liberate these LGAs and the people. What we are facing in Benue is under-reported and it is not comparable to what happens in any other state, not even Borno state.”
