Cephas Iorhemen 
Palpable fear has gripped residents in communities of Benue State over the continued occupation of their villages by armed Fulani militants.
Over 147 people including women and children have been reportedly killed in cold blood by the terrorists in the last couple of months even as the state government had given the invading armed herders a two-week ultimatum to leave the state and go to where they came from.
While the ultimatum has long elapsed, the killings have continued to fester as most of the killings going on are silent or via coordinated attacks.
Apart from the rampant killing of innocent people, the criminals have also adopted the kidnapping approach where scores of the victims have been abducted and killed after a huge ransom had been reportedly paid.
No fewer than 11 out of 21 local government areas of Benue State including Kwande, Ukum, Logo, Guma, Agatu, Gwer-West, Gwer-East, Makurdi, Katsina-Ala, Ogbadibo and Apa among others are seriously confronted with the attacks and killings.
Reports from the affected local government areas reveal that the presence of troops in such areas has not helped matters as the invaders launch deadly attacks and retreat unchallenged, even as none of the displaced persons has been able to return to their ancestral homes.
Speaking to New Telegraph on the situation in Kwande local government area, an opinion leader, Mr Lawrence Akerigba lamented the massive displacement of local inhabitants from the densely populated villages of Aneen in Ikyurav-Ya, Udeku in Turan, Yande Mkomun as well as Tomatar at Mbaav in Turan.
Mr. Akerigba also disclosed that four other communities Iorger, Akount, Tomatar and Yaav-Tse-Ador all in the Mbadura council ward suffered the attacks over six years, and the people are yet to return to their homes.
He said that hordes of the inhabitants of Turan who were displaced by the attacks are currently taking refuge in Jato Aka at Yaav council ward, with four of the council wards being under the control of the herders who also graze their cows freely.
Akerigba said the herders do drive their cows to farms of displaced persons to feast on harvested crops such as yams, cassava, sweet potato and grains among other crops, a development he said has thrown most families into endemic hunger. He said over 68 people have been killed in the area so far.
Also speaking on the Kwande attacks, Dr Gbashahwange Maya said scores of residents who have deserted the thick Moon settlement that largely belongs to the Benue land had in the last seven years been captured by the invading terrorists herders who also killed the people and forcefully usurped their ancestral land.
“The people are now finding it difficult to go back to their own land because they were forced to leave their homes through fierce attacks by the herdsmen”, said Gbashahwange.
The President General of Benue State socio-cultural organizations, the Mzough U Tiv (MUT) CP Iorbee Ihagh who is also from Kwande local government area said over 147 people have been reportedly massacred in the last two months across the state.
Chief Ihagh, a retired Comptroller of Prisons noted that during the period under review, the death of 70 persons was recorded in Zone A; a breakdown of the figures shows that 20 deaths were purely from attacks by herdsmen, while the remaining 45 killings occured with militia groups in connivance with herdsmen militia.
“In Zone B, about 10 persons were killed in Gwer West and 17 others in Gwer East, bringing the total to about 27 persons who lost their lives to attacks by the bandits, whereas in Zone C, no fewer than 50 persons were killed by these elements.
“In other scenarios, we have witnessed where these elements are conniving with the natives of communities and causing mayhem. A recent case study is the collaboration of between some of these bandits with a local militia group in Ukum Local Government Area, LGA of the State, where many lives were lost”, Ihagh disclosed.
Governor Hyacinth Alia had disclosed plans by his administration to ensure the return of the IDPs back to their homes, but the plan is still in the pipeline as none of them has been sent home up till now due to the recalcitrant activities of the invading terrorists.
