Curfew Ortom imposed in Gboko as irate youths Killed 7

Governor Samuel Ortom-Benue State

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has imposed a 6pm to 6am curfew in Gboko as a result of a security threat triggered by the killing of seven persons yesterday by irate youths.

Ortom, while condemning the killings, directed the police to commence immediate investigation, arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the act.

He spoke during a visit to the scene where he said the action was unacceptable as two wrongs do not make a right.

According to a terse statement by his Special Adviser, Media and ICT, Tahav Agerzua, and made available to Nigerian Pilot, Governor Ortom stated that the attack on travellers would complicate security challenges in the state and endanger the lives of Benue indigenes who live in other places.

He appealed to those with useful information about the culprits to assist security agencies as security is the responsibility of all.

The governor urged the people not to take the law into their hands but always report infringements on their rights to relevant authorities.

This is even as police authorities in the state have disclosed that the victims were killed while trying to board a vehicle from the motor park.

In a similar development, an armed herder, who engaged the police in a gun battle, was killed in Kadarko community, Keana Local Government Area of Nasrawa State.

This followed the deployment of security personnel to protect lives and property in the troubled community which has been under siege by marauding herdsmen.

Briefing newsmen at the police headquarters in Makurdi, yesterday, the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, said the victims were on their way to Okene or Taraba State before they were killed and their corpses burnt by suspected irate youths.

According to the CP, the police in Gboko rushed to the park after getting information about the crisis, but before they could get there, the victims have been killed, even as he said that irate youths hurled stones at them.

The CP disclosed that efforts are already on to apprehend the perpetrators of the dastardly act, even as he warned that the state security council has announced a dust to dawn curfew from 6pm to 6am.

He said security has been reinforced in Gboko and called on the people to give useful information that would lead to the arrest of the criminals.

Owoseni warned sponsors of the criminal act whom he alleged have stockpiled arms, particularly at the Benue/ Nasarawa border, as a result of the attack and counteract at Kadarko in Nasarawa State, stressing that the police will decisively deal with them.

“As we monitor and strengthen our surveillance, we will not hesitate to deal with the sponsors who are stockpiling weapons.”

The incident occurred a night after Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, who visited Kadarko community where seven villagers were murdered by suspected herdsmen, directed the deployment of the personnel to forestall further breakdown of law and order.

Nigerian Pilot learnt that Fulani herdsman opened fire on the mobile policemen who were on surveillance, but the trigger-happy herdsman was shot dead in the process.

It would be recalled that Kadarko community witnessed a black Tuesday when suspected AK 47 wielding herdsmen raided Tiv dominated town and killed seven persons at midnight and injured two others.

Police Public Relations Officer of Nasarawa State Command - ASP Idrisu Kennedy, who confirmed the development to our correspondent, explained that the herdsman was shot dead, while exchanging gun fire with security operatives deployed to restore normalcy in the area. Source: nigerianpilot