President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the recent bout of killings in Benue State in which tens of people were killed in Umogidi community of Entekpa-Adoka in Otukpo Local Government Area of the state, urging that all efforts be made to end the “extreme violence.”
The President on Saturday in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity, Garba Shehu, condemned the use of terrorism as a tool in inter communal conflicts, urging that the attackers be found and dealt with swiftly under the law.
He conveyed his grief and sympathy to the families of those who lost their lives due to the attack and directed the secret services, police and military commanders to enhance surveillance on every front and to immediately review the security management in the affected areas.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those murdered. The entire nation stands united in the fight against the forces of terror and evil,” said the President.
About 52 people were said to have been killed by armed men suspected to be herdsmen in the Benue South senatorial district in the past three days, particularly in Apa and Otukpo local government areas of the state.
On Monday, three people were reportedly killed at Igbobi in Apa LGA while 49 people were murdered on Tuesday and Wednesday in neighbouring Umogidi community in Otukpo LGA.
This prompted Hundreds of youths from Ugbokpo, headquarters of Apa local government area of Benue State, to mount roadblocks on the Otukpo-Oweto-Abuja federal highway on Friday to protest the incessant killing of their people by herders.
As early as 10am, the youths mounted roadblocks on the federal highway which disrupted vehicular movement for several hours.
When contacted, the chairman of Apa LGA, Patricia Amali in a telephone conversation said the protest was peaceful until hoodlums later hijacked it.