•Ondo protesters, regent attack govt over killings, Benue LG secretariat, palace razed
Residents of several communities in Ondo, Benue, Nasarawa and Edo states are reeling from deadly attacks by suspected armed herders, sparking widespread outrage and protests.
A total of 30 people were reportedly killed in the series of attacks across the three states, with communities calling for urgent government intervention.
Nine surveyors were reportedly kidnapped in Ondo, while two residents were abducted, and four others suffered gun and machete wounds in Edo.
In Ondo, enraged women took to the streets of Akure on Monday, following the abduction of nine surveyors and the killings of villagers in Akure North Local Government Area.
Armed assailants reportedly stormed the communities of Aba Alajido, Aba Sunday, Aba Pastor, and Ademekun, in the Akure North Local Government Area, at the weekend, leaving a trail of destruction and bloodshed.
Authorities have so far recovered at least 14 bodies, while search efforts continued, with a report that 20 villagers were killed.
In Benue, violent protests erupted in Naka, headquarters of Gwer West Local Government, after three members of the state’s Civil Protection Guards were ambushed and killed by suspected herders.
The discovery of their bodies early Tuesday sparked a rampage by angry youths, who torched the palace of the local traditional ruler and parts of the local government secretariat.
Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the killings, urging security agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice while calling for restraint among residents.
In Nasarawa State, a communal clash in the Farin Dutse community escalated into a full-blown crisis, leaving at least seven people dead, including a pregnant woman.
The conflict, which began as a dispute between local farmers and herders, quickly spiralled out of control, with houses, shops, and vehicles set ablaze.
The police have, however, arrested two suspects in connection with the violence, with security patrols in the area to prevent further bloodshed.
Protest in Ondo
On Tuesday, Akure, the Ondo State capital, was brought to a standstill as hundreds of women took to the streets to protest the alleged kidnapping of nine surveyors in the Ilu Abo community, Akure North Local Government Area.
According to the protesters, the surveyors were abducted by gunmen who allegedly attacked them while working at a site in the local government.
The women, with leaves in their hands, converged on the Ijemikin area of the state capital and marched to the Government Secretariat at Alagbaka, chanting solidarity songs to express their dissatisfaction over the spate of insecurity in the state.
Mrs Oluwatoyin Arowosafe, who spoke with journalists during the protest, stated that some of them were relatives of the kidnapped surveyors.
She said the kidnappers had contacted the families and demanded a sum of N100m for their release.
“We want to call on Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to come to our rescue. Our men have been kidnapped since last Tuesday and the kidnappers are demanding N100m to release them, which we could not afford,” she said.
Govt alleges connivance
Addressing the women on behalf of the governor, the Special Adviser on Union Matters and Special Duties, Mr Bola Taiwo, blamed the surveyors for going to the site without security protection.
Taiwo said, “We shall speak with your leaders if they have reported the incident to the police. If they have not, they should go there and report, that’s when the government would act.
“Nowadays, surveyors going to the site should go with police escorts. If they do, no gunmen would abduct them. No one can kidnap anyone without internal collaborators.”
He asked the women to return to Ilu-Abo and continue to demand the release of the surveyors.
“You shall now go back to Ilu-Abo and cry out that those who abducted the surveyors should release them.
“No Hausa or Fulani man can come to Ilu-Abo and kidnap without the connivance of one of the natives.
“It is your people that kidnapped the nine surveyors. We will meet with your leaders and discuss with them,” he said.
Govt, regent disagree
The Ondo State governor and the regent of one of the affected communities in the weekend killing, Ademekun Community, Princess Kemisola Adelowo, disagreed over the killing in the border communities on Saturday.
The government, in a statement on Monday signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security Matters, Gbenga Atiba, described the media report on the killings as fake news meant to create panic among the residents of the state.
On Tuesday, Atiba, on a radio programme in Akure, also dismissed the statement of the regent, insisting that the incident never happened as reported.
He said: “Security is everybody’s business. Our people want the government to come and build a police station in their homes. What are the farmers doing to protect themselves before calling on the government?
“The government’s role is to provide police stations and put officers there. The government gives money to all security agencies in this state every month for them to perform their roles.
“All the reported cases which happened in Oba-Ile are fake. The kidnapping of students of Federal College of Agriculture, Akure, didn’t happen in Ondo State but in Ekiti State.”
Responding, the regent said, “When I called my people about what the government officials were saying that the incident didn’t happen, they were cursing, lamenting that it was unfortunate.
“I’m the regent of that community, and I came to town last Tuesday. I was told that someone called ‘Iron Body’ and some boys came to the community on Thursday.
“He introduced his team as ‘Commissioner Boys’ and was immediately confronted. He claimed he only came to seek their collaboration on how to prevent herdsmen and their cattle from entering the community.
“Not long after, the same ‘Iron Body’ and his boys went to the next village, started firing gunshots, and killed about a hundred cows. We became scared over the development.
“At midnight on Saturday, Fulani herdsmen invaded the communities, shooting and attacking anyone in sight in retaliation for the cows that were killed.
“They assumed we were responsible. Most of those killed were farmers from Taraba and Oyo states. They spared no one – they killed both old and young and also set buildings on fire.”
In a statement on Tuesday, the Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami, said the ongoing “covert operation” of the command would be intensified to flush criminals out of the state.
“The command is aware of the attack on Sunday Camp and the Commissioner of Police, CP Wilfred Afolabi, has directed that the ongoing ‘covert operation’ being carried out across the state to rid the command of bad elements be intensified,” the statement read.
A police source confirmed that policemen were deployed in the area on Sunday, adding that no fewer than 14 dead bodies had so far been recovered.
Protests in Benue
Irate youths thronged the major streets of Naka, headquarters of Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State on Tuesday over the killing of three personnel of the state security operatives, codenamed Civil Protection Guards.
In their anger, they set fire to the palace of the traditional ruler of Naka, Ter Naka, parts of the local government secretariat, and properties belonging to private individuals.
Their anger arose after the bodies of the three operatives were brought to the council headquarters early Tuesday.
Sources from Naka said that as soon as the youth spotted the bodies of the personnel reportedly killed by suspected armed herders, a violent protest erupted.
The Chairman of the local government, Victor Omirin, confirmed the violent protest.
He said, “Yes, they razed the secretariat and the Ter Naka palace. Three protection guards were killed in Garuwa, so when their bodies were brought to Naka, it sparked protest from the youth and it’s now being taken over by hoodlums.”
Speaking to our correspondent on the phone, the traditional ruler of Naka, Daniel Abomtse, confirmed the burning of his palace.
He said, “I was in Makurdi for a medical check-up only to be called early this morning that some hoodlums had burnt down my palace.
“I have to rush back only to discover that three vehicles and motorcycles as well as other valuables were burnt down.”
The spokesperson for the state command, Catherine Anene, confirmed the protest.
She said the Commissioner of Police, Hassan Yabanet, had left for Naka to assess the situation and promised to give details later.
As of the time of filing this report, she was yet to provide the details as demanded by our correspondent
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