Nine people, including a police officer, have reportedly been killed in a series of coordinated attacks by suspected armed herders on communities in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.

The attacks, which began last Friday and stretched through Tuesday, hit several villages, including Okwutanobe, Okpokpolo, Olegagbani, and Ikpele.

Local sources say the assailants often strike from neighbouring Kogi State, launch attacks, and retreat across state lines.

One of the residents of Agatu, who simply identified himself as Odeny, told newsmen that the suspected armed herders always come from Kogi State, launch an attack and run back.

According to him, ?The attacks started last Friday at Okwutanobe, where two people were killed. On Saturday, they attacked Okpokpolo and killed one person.

?Yesterday, Monday, the armed herders invaded Olegagbani, where they killed one person. Today, Tuesday, the same armed herders attacked Ikpele, where they killed one police officer and four people.?

When contacted, the Chairman of Agatu LGA, James Melvin, confirmed that nine people, including a police officer, had been killed in the past three days in some communities in the council.

The chairman said, ?It?s true, I can confirm to you that four people were killed in Okwutanobe, Okpokpolo and Olegagbani, while five people, including a police officer, were killed in Ikpele today.?

The chairman suggested that the attacks may be in retaliation for recent allegations of cattle rustling, raised by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) just days earlier.

?We totally condemn these attacks, and I think it was a reprisal for their earlier report of cattle rustling in Agatu communities.

?We are appealing to them to give the government time to investigate the alleged rustling instead of taking the law into their own hands,? he said.

The council chairman, who applauded security operatives in the council, said that the terrain within the council is posing serious challenges to them.

?You know the roads in Agatu are bad, even when the security men receive a distress call, it can take them up to four hours to navigate some areas due to the bad terrain, so the armed herders would wreak havoc and leave,? the council chairman said.

When contacted, the Spokesperson for Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, said that she was yet to receive any information to that effect, but added that there is a presence of enough policemen in the council. (Nigerian Tribune)

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