By Citizenship Daily
No fewer than five persons are feared to have been killed after a clash between armed bandits and hunters in Okpomaju community in Otukpo local government area of Benue State.
The tragedy occurred in spite of resolution reached during a peace meeting to put an end to hostilities in the area.
The Och’Otukpo Odu, Chief John Eimonye and the leaders of the armed bandits had on Tuesday resolved among others to ensure peaceful co-existence and expose criminals found amongst the two parties.
This came after one herdsman and two hunters had been killed.
However, the renewed hostility accompanied by the massive killings and alleged destruction of houses at Okpomaju appeared to have undermined the resolution of the disputes.
According to a local who confided in newsmen on phone, “the attack was unprovoked as the hunters were at home at Okpomaju when the armed herders, numbering 12 stormed the village with sophisticated guns, shooting indiscricrinately.
“In the process, they killed Peter, popularly known as JPG and Moses, while others ran to different directions into the nearby bushes with gun shots.
“So far, we have recovered three dead bodies from those who ran to the bush making a total of five. The fifth was recoverved near Odudaje stream.
“As I speak with you, we are at the graveside, burying one of the victims and are awaiting the other bodies from the mortuary. We are with over 200 Otukpo hunters.”
Meanwhile, the latest development has triggered further displacement of residents, not just from Okpomaju but from the contiguous villages of Odudaje, Amla, Emichi and Otukpo-Icho, among others.
Some of those running to safety were said to have had deafening sound of gunshots from the herders were too frightening for them to stay in their homes.
When contacted, the Chairman of the Local Government Council, Mr Maxwell Ogiri, said security agents, including soldiers and the police had been deployed in Okpomaju to protect the residents and forestall further breakdown of law and order.
Efforts to get reaction of the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO in the state, CSP Catherine Anene failed as she did not pick the calls made to her cell phone.
