Fulani herdsmen ambush, kill Catholic Catechist, two brothers in Benue after Buhari’s visit
Less 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari visited Benue State to commiserate with the government and people over herdsmen murder of 73 people and other killings in the state, herdsmen on Tuesday made an incursion into Tse-Igbe in Nyiev council of Guma local government area of the state killing a Catholic Catechist, Mr. Christopher Unenge.
Also, two brothers, Aondowase Uma and Ahanbee Uma were on the same day ambushed and killed by armed Fulani herdsmen in the local government and several houses reportedly razed down. This brings to three the number of people killed shortly after President Buhari left the state last Monday.
Guma is the home local government of Governor Samuel Ortom where the Exercise Cat Race launched by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai has its operational headquarters.
The Catechist who worships at the Roman Catholic Mission (RCM) Church Orogbo in Guma was said to be going to attend a morning mass on Tuesday with his in-law identified as Ayem Mbakuughur when he ran into the herders who opened fire and killed him instantly while the in-law escaped.
The two brothers were said to be returning from Yelewata Market on a motorcycle at about 8: pm when they were ambushed and killed and their motorcycle burnt beyond recognition by the Fulani insurgents.
Many people were said to have been injured in the attack while four others were missing as at the time of filing this report.
A survivor, Orihyev Nyaga who was shot on his left hand told New Telegraph that “I was returning from the market on my motorcycle when I ran into a road block mounted by the herdsmen”.
” They attempted to matchet me but I narrowly escaped before I was shot on my hand and had to abandon my bike and ran into the bush where I escaped and went back to the market and raised alarm”.
Nyaga said, the two victims had already passed before he was able to raise the alarm.
Reports from the locals said the two dead bodies were recovered by youths and handed over to the Police at Yelewata where they were taken to an undisclosed morgue for deposit.
The locals said but for the alarm raised by the survivor, more deaths would have been recorded.
Eyewitness said “as I speak with you, the entire village is empty, many people have deserted leaving their harvested food items and other crops homes at the mercy of the Fulani herdsmen”.
When contacted, the Director of Communications, Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, Reverend Father Moses Iorapuu, confirmed the killing of the Catechist, but refused to give details.
Police Public Relations officer, Moses Yamu also confirmed the killing of the two brothers but said he was yet to obtain details promising to release it to newsmen as soon as he get full details about the killing.
