Gunmen kill livestock guard in Benue

Some Unknown gunmen have reportedly killed a personnel of the Benue State Livestock Guard, Jarule Likita.

Jarule was reportedly killed on Sunday after gunmen invaded his community.

He reportedly died on the spot after the unknown gunmen shot him in the chest several times at Tine-Nune, a village in the local government area where he lived. He was from Mbatian council ward in Ukum local government of the State.

According to locals, the incident, happened at about 8:30 pm.

One if the locals who spoke to newsmen after the attack said, “Some unidentified gunmen went to the house of the livestock guard commander of Mbatian ward at Tine-Nune settlement, Jarule Likita at about 8:30 pm yesterday (Sunday night) shot him in the chest several times and died.

“The assassination of Commander Likita marks the fifth BSLG Commander that has been assassinated by unknown gunmen in Ukum local government in recent time.

“There is something going on which they know between them and the criminals”.

On his part, the State Commander of Livestock Guard, Linus Zaki who confirmed the killing of the personnel while acknowledging that other personnels have been assassinated in the same manner, expressed a deep feeling of regret.

He said he was bewildered by the recurring attacks on his men, adding that they had been the target of unknown gunmen in Ukum local government area.

He wondered what must have been the reason behind the attacks and hoped that soon, the culprits will be brought to book.

Zaki who spoke to newsmen on the phone on Monday said, “I was just being informed that some armed men attacked and killed him (Jarule Likita).

“He was the only one killed. They have been killing our personnel like that. Three of my men died about two months back. They will just come and shoot them and go away.

“They call them gunmen, unknown gunmen that is the report reaching me. One of the murdered guards went to pick up his wife and was gunned down so also others. I do not know where these gunmen are coming from.

The Benue State volunteer guards was institutionalized by the former Governor of the state, Samuel Ortom in a bid to profer solution to the age-long rift between farmers and herders which is perceived to have transcended into an inter-ethnic crisis over the years.

The farmers-herders crisis became a common term not just in the Middlebelt region but across the nation as incessant attacks on farmers by suspected herders continued to thrive.

Farmers have through the years, lamented the destruction of their crops by cattles which herdsmen take around their environs.

This raised more concerns as farmers reportedly called for help which they never really got until some began to resort to self-help by engaging in cattle rustling.

The act further infuriated herdsmen who reportedly began to launch attacks on the Tiv people who tried to prevent them from herding their cattles in their environs.

Eventually, these attacks on individuals grew into invasions on communities leading to the destruction of lives and properties in the Benue valley amongst other states where herdsmen take cattles go graze openly.

It was in lieu of this, that the state government conceived a measure to end the rift by enacting a law that prohibits headers from open grazing.

The Benue Livestock guard was enacted by the Benue state house of assembly to enforce the anti-open grazing law enacted.

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