No fewer than 20 Tiv farmers have reportedly been killed and 5,000 others displaced in Lafia, Obi, and Awe Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State following an invasion of 12 communities by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.
A source who spoke to The PUNCH on the condition of anonymity in Lafia, on Monday, said that the attack could be linked to a corpse of a Fulani herdsman which was recently discovered by his kinsmen in a community in Obi LGA.
He explained that upon the discovery of the corpse, the herdsmen assumed that the herdsman was killed by Tiv men in the area which led to a reprisal attack on the people, resulting in the death of Tiv farmers.
He said, “The killings started since Friday and till now, our people are still running and looking for where to hide because the herdsmen are fully armed.
“We are under siege at the moment and we yet to get any help. We are peace-loving people. We are not trouble makers. So I am appealing to the government to come to our aide so that these people will not kill all of us”.
The President of the Tiv Development Association in the state, Peter Ahemba, revealed that 20 corpses of his kinsmen have been recovered across the twelve affected communities in Lafia, Obi and Awe LGAs.
He mentioned the communities to include Chabo, Daar, Tse-Udugh, Ayaakeke, Kyor-Chiha, Usula, Hagher, Joor, Tyungu, Ugba, Angwan and Ayaba.
He said, “Over 5,000 persons have been displaced across twelve communities and about twenty corpses have been recovered with the support of security agencies. Scores are still missing in bushes and we don’t know whether they are alive or dead.”
He added that the inhabitants of the affected communities were killed by the suspected Fulani herdsmen and called on both the state and the federal governments to do everything possible within their powers to restore normalcy to the affected communities.
Confirming the incident, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP Ramhan Nansel, said that a complaint was made on Friday that one Mr Umaru Idrisu of Gidan Washi Village in Obi LGA was attacked and killed by armed men.
He explained that upon receipt of the complaint, the Commissioner of Police, CP Adesina Soyemi, ordered the Divisional Police Officer in Obi LGA to move to the scene where the corpse was recovered and later taken to the hospital for post mortem examination before it was released to the family for burial according to Islamic rites.
He said, “While the investigation was ongoing, a suspected reprisal attack was carried out by unknown persons in Hangara village, Lafia East Development Area in Lafia LGA and crossed over to the neighbouring Kwayero Village of Obi LGA.
“The following persons namely: Sani Dauda, Danjuma Liambee, Uloho Jerry, Shedrack Kente, Boniface John, Tersoo Clement, Gwanje Soja and Ayuba Ali were attacked and killed; their corpses were recovered and taken to the hospital by the Police.
“A joint team of the Nigeria Police Force and the Military has been mobilized to the affected areas with a view to restoring peace and possible arrest of the perpetrators of the dastardly act.”
