SAN FRANCISCO, February 12, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) has confirmed that two of its men were killed by rampaging herdsmen in Benue state.
The Public Relations Officer of the Benue State Command of the NSCDC, Mr Adakole John Peter, said the men were killed on Sunday in Awange village of Kasseyo Ward in Guma Local Government Area.
The officers were killed when herdsmen stormed the village 5 pm on Sunday and engaged security operatives in a gun battle, he explained.
He identified the officers as Adams Godwin, an Assistant Superintendent of the Corps, and Abah Patrick, a Senior Corp Assistant.
A member of the community was also killed during the attack before a detachment of the NSCDC special squad deployed in Guma communities repelled the attack.
“At about 5 pm on Sunday, 11th February 2018, our troops deployed to Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, encountered armed herdsmen who came to attack Awange Village of Kasseyo ward,” Peter stated.
“While the attack lasted, a community member was killed, while two of our personnel lost their lives trying to defend the community.
“We quickly mobilised additional men to reinforce the troops who remained gallant in pushing back the herdsmen and as we speak, we are carrying out headcounts both on the side of the community and the attackers.”
This comes as the police in Benue State confirmed the recovery of the body of one of their four officers declared missing.
The Police had declared four officials missing on Saturday after a mobile patrol team was ambushed by suspected herdsmen in Ayilemo in Logo Local Government Area.
Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, has decried the destruction of the University’s multi-million naira research and training farms by herdsmen, who also poisoned the dam with chemicals.
This was contained in the University weekly Bulletin issued on Monday which revealed that the management of the institution, last Thursday, held a security meeting with the leaders of the 11 Fulani settlements on the University land.
The publication quoted the vice-chancellor as saying that economic trees’ were destroyed by cattle grazing on the vast land of the institution.
The meeting was attended by representatives of law enforcement agencies comprising of the Nigerian Police Force, the Department of State Security Services (DSS) and the Civil Defence.
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