January 26, (THEWILL) – The Nasarawa State Police Command on Thursday, said it has commenced investigation into the death of 27 pastoralists, in Doma Local Government Area of the State.
Spokesperson of the Command, DSP Ramhan Nansel, in a chat with newsmen on Thursday, said the preliminary investigation confirmed that “the pastoralists had on Tuesday, gone to Benue to pay fines for the release of cattle impounded by the Benue Livestock Guards implementing the State’s Anti-Open Grazing and Ranching Law.
“While they were loading some of the cows into vehicles on Tuesday night, in Kwatiri village, a border community between Benue and Nasarawa, something like a drone or an aircraft hovered in the air and shelled them.”
According to Nansel, the Commissioner of Police, Maiyaki Mohammed-Baba, visited the scene of the incident and attended the burial of the deceased alongside the State Deputy Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, and some traditional rulers.
He said an investigation was underway to identify those responsible for the act, adding that the Command had deployed Police officers to the area to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
Meanwhile, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), has condemned the alleged killing and called for an investigation into the attack.
MACBAN, in a statement by its National Public Relations Officer, Muhammad Nura, said “this is the third time we are experiencing such happenings.”
He said that apart from the victims, livestock was also killed in the attack.
“MACBAN describes the action as not only condemnable but a war crime under the Geneva Convention that prohibits the wanton killing of livestock.
“We call on the authorities to investigate this terror, punish the culprits and be sure that incidents like this will not happen again,” Nura said.
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