There have been renewed hostilities between Fulani herdsmen and indigenous Tiv people of Mbalagh community in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State, claiming 27 lives so far with another 17 persons said to be missing.
The crisis which began last Sunday till Tuesday has forced women and children of the community to barricade the Makurdi – Lafia Expressway to protest the killings, leading to a traffic gridlock as motorists and commuters coming into or leaving the capital city were unable to do so. The situation lasted until soldiers from the 72 Battalion in Makurdi dispersed the protesters with tear gas.
One of the community members, Matthew Mnyam said the women of the community were forced onto the streets after a 13-year old girl was raped by 3 suspected Fulani herdsmen.
The 45-year old Mnyam who had injuries on his right eye alleged that the Fulani herdsmen and the soldiers of the 72 Battalion had long been in an alliance to unleash terror on the people of the community. He added that despite several petitions to the government, it had done nothing about it.
Meanwhile, the lawmaker representing Makurdi North at the State House of Assembly, Avine Agbom has questioned the involvement of the Army in a civil peaceful protest which had the blessing of the Benue police command.
He accused the soldiers of carrying out the illicit operation which led to the death of 27 persons within a space of few days, adding that only professional gunmen could have carried out the level of destruction done to the village by the invaders.
“I think the military are so involved in this matter because the operation carried out was highly sophisticated. The operation was highly professional.”
He condemned the attack on the protesting women and queried the authority of the suspected soldiers who dispersed the protesters using force which he claimed eventually led to the death of one boy and several injured persons now in the hospital.
“It is unthinkable! Why were soldiers involved in a civil demonstration? Are the soldiers neutral in this matter or involved?” he asked.
Efforts to reach the Commander in charge of the 72 battalion on his telephone did not yield result at the time of this report.
Curiously enough, the Benue State Police Command claimed ignorance of any communal crisis as well the reason for the barricading of the highway, which the Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Daniel Ezeala said was dismantled by men of the command.
He said, “We are trying to know the reason for barricading the highway by the people in Mbalagh community as I’m talking to you now, we have dismantled the barrier on the road, police is everywhere now. As for the crisis, I’m not aware of such but we are trying to find out what actually happened.”