May 04, (THEWILL) – Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom, has confirmed the killing of two security agents by suspected Fulani herdsmen even as he declined ceding one of Benue land for the implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP).
According to him, herdsmen on Monday, engaged the police and personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in a shoot out, close to the bank of the River Benue in Makurdi, the state capital, leading to the death of two personnel.
Governor Ortom made the disclosure on Wednesday, while addressing stakeholders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from Kwande and Ushongo Local Government Areas of the state at Government house, Makurdi.
“In the shoot out that ensued between the herdsmen, they shot to death a personnel of the NSCDC and a member of the Livestock Guards.”
The Governor explained that the herdsmen who came in their numbers were on the verge of overpowering the security agents posted to the area, until a reinforcement of the Army came and salvaged the situation.
However, he stated that the herdsmen had succeeded in carting away eight motorcycles belonging to members of the livestock guards.
Ortom, who advised people of the state to be security conscious, insisted that the herders were in Benue to take over their land.
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