Gunmen open fire on Benue gov’s convoy

Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam narrowly
escaped death on Tuesday when his convoy was
attacked by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
Suswam’s convoy was on its way to Gbajimba in
Guma Local Government Area of the state when the
incident occurred.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria , the
governor was on a fact finding mission following the
continuous invasion of many communities on the
Daudu-Gbajimba road by herders.
NAN which did not provide detailed information
about another attack on Tse-Akenyi, reported that
there was about an hour exchange of gunfire
between the bandits and Suswam’s security aides.
Suswam, who confirmed the incident, told the
victims of the attack in Gbajimba, that the situation
was disturbing.
He added that people must defend themselves if
security operatives failed to do their job.
The governor said, “I salute each and every one of
you for your courage and steadfastness throughout
this period. This is beyond the herdsmen; this is a
real war.
“On my way to this place, they exchanged gunfire
with us for over one hour before we were able to
get here.
“My people are being butchered and their homes
destroyed. So, if the security agents, especially the
military, cannot provide security for us, we will
have to defend ourselves.
“I cannot abandon you people at this point in time to
die. You voted me to provide security for you and
that I must do for you.
“These Fulani are not like the real Fulanis we used
to know. Please return to your homes and defend
your land. Do not allow anybody to make you slaves
in your home land. ’’
The Guma LGA Chairman, Mr. Frank Adi, condemned
the killings and destruction of homes by the
herdsmen.
Adi, who was represented by his deputy, Mr Godwin
Viashima, appealed to the government to provide
them with security operatives.
When contacted, Suswam’s Director of Press, Dr.
Cletus Akwaya, said the attackers killed some
people in the sacked villages.
He said “His Excellency went to the crisis area to
look at the level of destruction when he was
attacked. Schools in this area have been closed
down since the crisis started in 2011.
“The marauders sacked the villages and some of
the schools are now being occupied by their cows.
They sacked villages in Gwer, Guma-West. Some
bodies were recovered from some of these areas
without bullet wounds.”
Akwaya added that government officials suspected
that the invaders were insurgents who moved into
Nigeria from Mali.
He said, “There are suspicions that the marauders
may have used chemical weapons. They may be
people who moved from Libya to Mali and they are
here now.
“What they are doing in the North-East is what they
are trying to bring to the North-Central states of
Benue, Plateau and Nassarawa . It is not what the
state government alone can handle.”
He, however, said there was no casualty among
members of the governor’s convoy.
Meanwhile, suspected members of Boko Haram
have attacked the convoy of Gwoza LGA Chairman,
Hamman Ahmadu, destroying two vehicles and
leaving three policemen and two drivers missing.
It was learnt that Ahmadu and his convoy ran into a
siege laid by the sect members near a bridge on the
Bama-Gwoza Road at about 4.35pm on Monday.
Narrating the incident to journalists on Tuesday,
Mallam Baba, a driver attached to Borno State
Government House in Maiduguri, said, “On reaching
the bridge, after returning from Gwoza, and Barawa
on an official visit, we were surrounded by several
gunmen at the destroyed Firgi Bridge.
“They shot from all directions and that made three
drivers to reverse and escape. Two other vehicles,
including my Toyota Hilux, were abandoned. I had
to crawl for about 300 metres to escape from the
insurgents.”
Asked to give the number of people killed, Baba
said, “It is only God that saved our lives yesterday
evening (Monday), including the council chairman.
Three policemen and two other drivers are
missing.”