(Nigeria) Five persons were confirmed dead while four were injured as suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded Majehuku and Zandukwu villages in the Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State on Monday.
The herdsman also allegedly killed two persons in the Ayamelum Local Government Area of Anambra State.
In the Taraba attack, the herdsmen were said to have invaded the villages at about 5pm.Amid shootings, the invaders were said to have razed down five houses.
Eyewitness named the four women and one man killed as Anjo Jenalura, Rebecca Philemon, Mercy Anthony, Roseline James, and Lami Lawrence.
The Taraba State Police Command said on Tuesday that corpses of those killed in the attack and the injured had been taken to the General Hospital in Wukari, while the incident was being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Department of the command.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Joseph Kwaji, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent on the telephone on Tuesday, said no arrest had been made.
Kwaji added that the hoodlums fled after they attacked the villages, adding, however, that the police were on the trail of the invaders.
He said, “We despatched our men the moment we got the information but before our men got there, the perpetrators had already done their worst. But we are on their trail and we hope to catch up with them. We have also put some men on the ground to avoid a recurrence.”
The names of the two victims of the Anambra attack had not been disclosed on Tuesday.
The member representing the Ayamelum LGA of Anambra State in the State House of Assembly, Mr Uche Okafor, said this on Tuesday while moving a motion to cause the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano, to restrict the activities of the herdsmen in the state.
The lawmaker alleged that the herdsmen had been wreaking havoc in his community for some time now.
Okafor argued that there was a need for the governor to intervene to stop the violence from escalating.
He said, “My people have lost hope in farming as a result of the activities of the herdsmen.“
Two persons have been killed in my community while protecting their farmlands from these herdsmen.
“We need to do something about this situation before it gets out of hands.
“One wonders what the situation would have been if the citizens had decided to take the laws into their hands during the incident.“
We need to do something now to stop this senseless killing and apprehension. My people have been pressed to the walls.”
The member representing Ogbaru Constituency, Mr. Somtochukwu Udeze, told the House that the people of Ogbaru had not known peace in the past few days as a result of the activities of the herdsmen.
“These Fulani herdsmen have invaded my area and destroyed things with impunity. We must do something now.”After hearing the lawmakers on the issue, the House urged Obiano to direct the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Hosea Karma, to curtail the killings and destruction of farmlands.
Courtesy: PunchNg
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