The Deputy Governor of the Benue State, Mr. Benson Abounu, has expressed concern over the presence of a large number of herdsmen alleged to be heavily armed, at the Nassarawa State’s border.
According to him, the alerting remarks made by Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, on 22nd January 2021, when he briefed President Muhamamdu Buhari on the activities of the Boko Haram terrorists at the fringes of Nasarawa State, prompted the inquiry conducted by the Benue State Government.
In the words of the Deputy Governor Benue State,
“There was a declaration by the Governor of Nasarawa State when he visited the Presidency that there is a deployment of Boko Haram insurgents to the boundary between Benue and Nasarawa state.
“As a result of this, we in Benue State, using our security agencies, decided to swing into action to find out the truth or otherwise of that declaration.
“While we are still investigating, we have been able to ascertain the fact that there appears to be a massive deployment of herdsmen with their cattle on the brink of River Benue but on the Nasarawa State bank.
“And we also observed that a good number of these herdsmen are heavily armed; many of them with Ak-47 rifles.
“As if this was not enough, we have been able to apprehend a good number of them in a village called Kaseyo, Guma local government of Benue State.
“On the 23rd of January, 150 cows belonging to these herdsmen were apprehended.”