Police engage herdsmen in gun duel, kill one, recover AK47 rifle

The Benue State Police Command has revealed that its personnel recently engaged some herdsmen in a gun duel in Ayilamo, Logo Local Government Area of the state, where one of the cattle headers was killed in the process.

The state police command, while explaining the details of the attack, also said that it was able to recover an AK47 from the herder with some rounds of ammunition.


Fatai Owoseni, the Benue State police commissioner, who disclosed this while parading some suspects in Makurdi on Tuesday, among them some armed robbery suspects, said that the police were also able to arrest a mole who had been feeding the herders with information, which was equally aiding their attacks.

The police commissioner further explained that a preliminary investigation by the force reveal that some of the residents sold out information to the attackers.

While answering a question on the killing of two personnel of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCSC) in Guma on Monday, the state police boss said that information on the issue was still sketchy but that he was comparing notes with his counterpart in the NSCDC to get full details of the attack.

Similarly, the police in the state paraded five suspects of a robbery gang in Ushongo council area of the state. The suspects were arrested for allegedly attempting to rob two ladies in the town.

Items recovered from them include a locally-made pistol and four rounds of live ammunition, among other items.

The police commissioner assured people of the state of the preparedness of the force to live up to its billings.

Meanwhile, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Biafra Independent Movement (BIM) in Ebonyi State Wednesday said they would no longer accommodate the activities and operations of the Fulani herdsmen in the South-East geo-political zone.

The group condemned the indiscriminate and callous killings of innocent Nigerians, especially farmers, in the country by Fulani herdsmen.

They asserted that there was no land for cattle colonies within the zone even as they maintained that cattle herding remains a private business and not a national enterprise.

In a statement in Abakaliki, leader of the group in Ebonyi South zone, Sunday Ezaka, warned South-East governors not to contemplate giving any land in the zone to the Fulani herdsmen for the purpose of cattle colonies, saying they would resist such move with their last blood.

The group further blasted the leader of Ohanaeze Youth Council in Umuahia, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, for allegedly telling the leader of MASSOB/BIM, Chief Raph Uwazurike, to vacate Igboland.

It described such statement as an abomination in Biafra.

Part of the statement reads: “MASSOB/BIM will not tolerate or accommodate killer Fulani herdsmen within the South-East zone.

“The wanton killing and destruction of property by this group have emphasised the need for Biafra.

“The country is presently witnessing the killing of innocent Nigerians and the Buhari-led administration is busy using propaganda to deceive Nigerians.

“We want to warn that any South-East governor that accommodates them, or give out lands for cattle colonies to them, will face the wrath of MASSOB/BIM.

“The president has been insensitive to the plight of non-Fulani in this country.

“This is not what a country should look like. We are indeed disappointed and embarrassed at the present administration’s system of governance.

“The Ebonyi South zone of MASSOB/BIM, under the leadership of Sunday Ezaka, stands to challenge and counter the Umuahia, Ohanaeze Youth Council leader, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, for telling our leader, Chief Raphael Uwazurike, the founder of the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra, to vacate his fatherland for no reason.

“This is an abomination in Biafra land and the so-called Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro is not qualified to be an Igbo Biafra, let alone an organisation.

“It is better for him to vacate Igboland and Biafra nation as well to exile where he will remain until Christ comes because if he stays in Igboland or in Biafra nation, he is going to be persecuted.

“The so-called Umuahia Ohanaeze Youth Council is not a composition of Igbo people but strangers.”