Kogi governor to visit communities where herdsmen killed 32

Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, will pay a visit to the communities in the state where a series of attacks by suspected herdsmen reportedly led to the death of 32 people.

The attacks happened on Wednesday, March 14, 2018, with the attackers arriving by boat before opening fire on residents and burning houses.

According to a statement signed by the governor's spokesperson, Kingsley Fanwo, he will visit the communities for assessment on Friday, March 16.

He said, "Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the Executive Governor of Kogi State will conduct on the spot assessment of the distressed communities today.

"He will meet with Security Chiefs and community leaders after which more information will be forthcoming based on available facts.

"The Governor believes nothing compares to the sanctity of the human life and that must be protected by all who believes in humanity."

Fanwo assured that the violence has been brought under control and that efforts have commenced to apprehend the attackers and bring them to justice.

He further warned the public to disregard the conflicting casualty figures that have been reported about the attacks because they are "mostly baseless and speculative."

Herdsmen attack in Kogi

A source told The Guardian that the attackers numbered "about 500" and burnt down 20 houses while an eyewitness claimed they were dressed in military fatigue and wielded AK-47 assault rifles.

The state's Deputy Commissioner of Police, Monday Bala, confirmed the attack during a press conference on Thursday, March 15, and reported that police officers and other security operatives have been deployed to the area to restore order.

While many residents who fled for their lives remain unaccounted for, Bala declined to release casualty figures from the attack.

A resident believes that the attack might be a reprisal for a 2016 altercation that led to the death of four Fulani herdsmen.

Herdsmen crisis

Nigerians have been dealing with a spate of attacks carried out by suspected cattle herders with well over 200 victims dead since January 2018.

On the same day as the attacks in Kogi, the Nigerian Army confirmed that herdsmen killed two soldiers while responding to reports of a clash between at Rafiki Village in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State where 23 dead bodies were also found.

Seven suspects have already been arrested in connection with the clash as one AK-47 assault rifle with 26 rounds of 7.62mm special and one locally made single barrel loaded with 15 rounds recovered by troops.

Herdsmen have also struck more prominently in Benue and Taraba where hundreds have died in only three months as security operatives battle endlessly to put a stop to the crisis.