Suspected herdsmen kill village head on farmland

Suspected herdsmen killed a village head, Iyongovihi Ninge, during an attack on the Chembe settlement in Ukemberagya/Tswarev Ward of Gaambe-Tiev, in Logo local government area of Benue state on Tuesday, April 17, 2018.

According to a report by Channels Television, a member of the community, Joseph Anaway, said the victim was shot in the back while working on his farmland.

He said, "The attackers came with hordes of cattle, plundering yam seeds that have been planted, opening fire on Mister Ninge who was clearing his field in readiness for cultivation. The village head was shot in the back and he died on the spot."

A statement by the Benue State Police Command remarked that the attackers are yet to be identified.

"The command had at about 1100hours of today, received report of a man later identified as a village head killed by yet to be identified bandits on his farm in Logo LGA," the statement read.

Benue's herdsmen crisis

Benue has been troubled by violent attacks this year as a spate of attacks by suspected cattle herders have led to the death of over 200 victims.

24 people were killed during an attack carried out on March 5 by herdsmen in Omusu Edimoga, a village in Okpokwu Local Government Area of the state.

The bodies of 73 men, women and children were buried at a mass burial ceremony organised by the state government on January 11 after several attacks by cattle herders.