By Sunday Ogli, Makurdi
Suspected armed Fulani herdsmen have reportedly murdered a village head, Chief Drorugh Taki of Taki village in Mbalagh Council Ward of Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State.
The incident, according to a source who pleaded anonymity, occurred shortly after Akpanaja, while the victim was on his way to Makurdi, the state capital.
Chief Taki was said to be riding a motorcycle with his son when they ran into the killer herders.
The source said the whereabout of the son was unknown, as he was not found at the scene of the incident, and there has been no communication from him.
Meanwhile, a disagreement between herders and residents around Joseph Sarwuan Tarka Univetsity Makurdi, JOSTUM, has led to exodus of residents into Makurdi town.
A local who confided in our correspondent, said the problem was caused by herdsmen who took their cattle to graze in the farms of the communities around JOSTUM and in the process destroyed crops and the residents, in retaliation, killed two of their cows.
Piqued by the action of the residents, the herdsmen were said to had notified the communitites of a likely reprisal attack, hence the exodos.
“The atmosphere around JOSTUM and Alfred Akawe Torkula Polytechnic is not safe. I saw several residents of the area fleeing with luggages,” the source said.
Efforts to confirm the incidents from the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, CSP Catherine Anene, failed as calls made to her cell phone did not connect.
