Youths Protest As Herdsmen Kill 15, Abduct Many Farmers In Benue

Angry youths yesterday blocked the Makurdi-Abuja highway to protest the killing of over 15 farmers and abduction of many others from their farms by herdsmen at Garba-Atson in Agan community of Makurdi local government area of Benue State.

The protesters who displayed the corpses of those killed said they would not desist until justice was served.

The district head of Agan, Zaki Patrick Agbaka, told our correspondent that the herders invaded farms yesterday, moving from one farm to another and abducting farmers to unknown destinations and any farmer who resisted was brutally killed.

“I can’t exactly tell you the number of farmers that were killed because trucks took dead bodies away more than three times, I think more than 15 farmers lost their lives, that is what I can guess for now, and scores were taken hostage,” he said.

He said they were yet to have contact with  those taken alive or establish their actual number.

Police spokesperson Udeme Edet who confirmed the incident said they were investigating it but could not ascertain the casualty number.

This came even as armed bandits abducted two Nigerian Immigration Service officers in Ukum local government area of the state yesterday.

The officers were returning from their duty post at Ugbema in Buruku local government area.

NIS spokesman in Benue State, Stanley Tyough, declined comment on the incident, saying he would not speak on it now.