Suspected herdsmen on Thursday attacked the Mbanyiar
community and chased away the acting District Head of Mbawa in Guma Local Government
Area of Benue State, Tyoor Oliver Chado, from his palace.
The herdsmen, who were said to be heavily armed
with sophisticated weapons, also allegedly raped the traditional ruler family
members and destroyed crops stored in the barn.
The acting district head, who spoke to journalists,
said the herdsmen last week also invaded the area and killed domestic animals,
including goats, pigs and chickens, and took others away.
He said the herdsmen, who were numbering 11, attacked
his home around 2 a.m., but he was able to escape alive from the attack.
According to him, his wife and two of his in-laws
were unfortunately tortured by the herdsmen who also destroyed his farm crops.
"Since the incident happened, I have not seen
my wife and the two of my in-laws, but the Livestock Guard who has gone to the
area told me they were tortured and raped, but not killed.
"I have reported the matter to the police and
sent transport money to convey them back to Daudu where I am now taking
refuge," he noted.
The traditional ruler further said the herdsmen
also uprooted their cassava and used the melon and yam from his barn to feed
their animals.
He said: "The herdsmen are settled in Uvir in
Mbabai, and they usually come from there to attack our people. When they came
last week, they chased away my people at Tse-Agudu and settled there. Tse-Agudu
is less than a kilometre from my house."
But when contacted, the state Police Public
Relations Officer, Catherine Sewuese Anene, said she was yet to receive the
report.
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