Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom, on Monday said killings by herdsmen in several parts of the country would only cease when the Federal Government stopped handling the matter with kid’s gloves.
The governor spoke while lamenting the killing of eight people in Benue including two aid workers at Tomanyii village in the Guma Local Government Area of the state by suspected herdsmen.
Ortom who spoke to journalists said that until the Federal Government “which wine and dines with the leadership of the armed herdsmen decide to end the atrocities, the killing will continue”.
He described as lame, claims that killer herdsmen are spirits that have eluded security operatives unlike the IPOB and the secessionist agitation led by Sunday Igboho in the southwest which the security agencies have done a lot to quash.
While questioning why little has been done to stop armed herdsmen from killing, the Benue Governor vowed he would not repeal the law banning open grazing to please the marauders.
Suspected herdsmen had on Sunday killed two aid workers and a volunteer for 360HSCD, a non governmental organisation working on HIV/AID testing and counseling in Benue state.
It was learnt that the aid workers were on routine weekend supervision at Tomanyi village in Guma Local Government Aarea when the attack took place.
It was further learnt from local sources that after the aid workers were abducted, their telephone lines were contacted but one of the herdsmen who answered the call, was said to have confirmed the killings vowing that they will continue to kill until Governor Ortom listens to their demand and repeal the prohibition of open grazing in Benue state.
As of Monday, eight corpses were recovered from Tomanyi village by security forces, accompanied by youths from the area.