He called on the people of the area to defend themselves, adding that the era of folding arms is over.
Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen on Sunday attacked and killed over 30 Igbo speaking indigenes of Ado Local Government Area of Benue state, a local government chairman has said.
James Oche, Ado Local Government Area Chairman, disclosed this in a Facebook post on Monday, sharing videos and photos of the incident.
Oche said the suspected herdsmen attacked Ndigwe, Ataloga, Odokem, Ekile, Nduobasi, Ekpufu, Obakota and other nearby villages in the LGA.
He called on the people of the area to defend themselves, adding that the era of folding arms is over.
The council boss wrote, “Yesterday, no fewer than 30 Igbo-speaking indigenes of Ado Local Government lost their lives to attacks by Fulani herdsmen and their mercenaries on Ndigwe, Ataloga, Odokem, Ekile, Nduobasi, Ekpufu, Obakota and other nearby villages.
“We have a situation of nearly 5,000 internally displaced persons in addition to the destruction occasioned by the assailants. It took the concerted efforts of Operation Whirlstroke after we informed them, to repel the attacks.
“The era of lip service and arms folding is over. The people of Ado must rise up to the occasion in self-defence. In whatever way possible, our people must be empowered to defend themselves. Enough of the killings, we are not cowards.”