Hoodlums attack Suswam’s convoy as suspected Fulani kill 5

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam, Speaker of the State Assembly Hon. Terhile Ayua, Special Adviser on Security, Col. Basil Kwenbeh, Commissioner of Police, Adams and other top government functionaries yesterday escaped death by the whisker in Tse-Akenyi Umenger, Guma local government area when their convoy was caught up in a gun duel with Fulani mercenaries.

This is just as the Fulani herdsmen murdered over 25 persons in an early morning attack on Uikpam community.

Narrating the incident, an eye witness, Tony Mase said the attack took place as early as 6 am, adding that the herdsmen who numbered over 500 burnt down houses and slaughtered people in a gruesome manner.

Governor Suswam who had gone to the area to ascertain the magnitude of destruction carried out by the suspected Fulani mercenaries, got the shocker of his life when the heavily armed herdsmen engaged his entourage in a gun fire, though no one was injured. Security operatives attached to the governor quickly cordoned him.

Addressing the people at Gbajimba, the local government headquarters, the governor regretted the attitude of soldiers who abandoned them at Uikpam and urged the people to defend themselves from external forces.

“We cannot rely on soldiers who abandoned us midway during the journey. You have to defend your territory against external forces. You should put aside any sectional political interest and fight this common enemy”, Suswam advised.