Benue State has been plagued by recurring violent attacks, kidnappings, and killings, often attributed to armed herdsmen, leaving residents in a state of fear and insecurity.
Gunmen believed to be herdsmen have attacked Jato-Aka, Mbachon, and Tse- Yough settlements of Yaav council ward of Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State leaving about twenty seven persons dead and several others with various degrees of injuries getting medical attention in a hospital in Jato-aka.
President General, Kwande United People’s Organization (KWUPO),
Simon Aloko Nachi who disclosed this while reacting to the attack revealed that some victims of the attack were not recovered yet.
The President General was bewildered over the continued attacks on communities in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, despite the deployment of security personnel to the area.
He condemned the latest attacks on River Jam, Mbaikyo Mbachon, in Yaav Ward where women and children were massacred and described the development as betrayal of the highest order.
According to the Community leader, “not a single shot was fired in defence of our people. Not one attacker was stopped. We must ask: what exactly are these security personnel doing there? Who sent them? And whose lives are they protecting?”
KWUPO, through the President General has demanded an immediate explanation from security commanders and appealed to Governor Hyacinth Alia, the Kwande Local Government Chairman, and security agencies to take urgent action to protect the communities.
The community leader emphasized that deployment without action is decoration, not protection, insisting that “if these security personnel cannot defend communities within shouting distance of their base, then something is deeply wrong.”
He urged all stakeholders as well as the international community, to take note of the situation and support efforts to end the insecurity in Kwande.
Meanwhile Governor Alia, has condemned in the strongest terms the brutal killings in Tyungu Jam and Mbaav communities in Yaav and Mbadura Council wards of Kwande Local Government Area, which according to him left about 12 innocent people dead and several others injured.
Governor Alia in a statement by his Technical Adviser on Media, Publicity and Strategic Communications Chief, Solomon Iorpev, described the attack as barbaric, senseless, and unacceptable, expressing deep sorrow and outrage at the loss of precious lives and extended his condolences to the families of the victims.
Every life, according to him matters and assured the people of Kwande and Benue State that his administration would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that those responsible for the killings are held accountable.
He directed security agencies to intensify efforts to apprehend the perpetrators and prevent further attacks and assured the people of Kwande that his administration would remain committed to ensuring the security and safety of all citizens but insisted that government would not be deterred by resistance from those opposed to peace.
He appealed to the people of Kwande not only to remain calm but also to cooperate with security agencies as they work to restore peace to the area.
The governor promised that his government would stop at nothing to ensure that absolute peace returns to the state in general and to Kwande in particular.
Efforts to get reaction from the Benue State Police Command failed at the time of filing this report.
