By Sam Kayode
Over 38 persons have been slaughtered by suspected bandits in an internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp in Guma council area of Benue State, north central Nigeria.
About 38 others were seriously injured following the dastardly attack on the camp in Mgbam,Nyiev community in Udei area of Guma council area of the State.
The attack, according to sources, came barely three days after 52 persons were massacred in Umugidi community in Otukpo council area by suspected bandits pretending to be herders.
A reliable source told metrowatchonline.com that the attack which consumed mostly women and children occurred in the early part of Friday when some of the inmates of the camp who raised the alarm were preparing to sleep.
District head of Nyiev Community, Bernard Shawa, regretted that he lost two of his sons to the dastardly attack which he and his people never anticipated.
He added that the marauders had attacked them on the day of the Presidential election which was February 25, 2023 in which 12 persons were slaughtered like chicken.
Mnenna Orkegaa another survivor who lost her 10 year old daughter said that some of them were already asleep when they heard sporadic gun shots and started running for safety.
She lamented that it was during an attempt to escape through the window that a Herdsmen grabbed her child and killed her.
Responding to the act of barbarism during a visit to the camp, Governor Samuel Ortom described it as ‘unfortunate’, saying that his government will not be provoked to take laws into its hand but will remain law abiding.
He said that President Buhari should do more than to send condolence messages and direct security agencies to fish out the perpetrators.
“I condemn this act. It is most unfortunate. We are law abiding people. We will not be provoked to take arms against anyone.
“We will allow the law to take it course. I saw the President’s condolence message but he should go beyond this and issue orders to smoke out these herders and terrorists.
“You can imagine the pain of this people. People doing this are known and must be fished out. Those inviting this Fulani to unleash terror wait until I leave office, then you can repeal the law. We want peace. I refuse to be provoked.
“How can we make progress with this type of killing? Putting blame and castigating me is not right”, Ortom maintained.
Benue state has been under siege for several years now as insurgent bandits have unleashed sorry, tears and blood on the people who are mostly farmers ensuring that they abandoned their ancestral homes to live in IDP camps because security agents have been unable to stop the carnage.
