Eight herdsmen have been arrested in connection with killings of 50 people in two local government areas in Benue State.
The spokesman, Benue State Police Command, ASP, Moses Yamu, who disclosed this in a statement, on Wednesday, said that six of the arrested herdsmen were from Guma and two others from Logo local governments all in Benue State.
It will be recalled that suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded six communities of two local government between Monday and Tuesday and allegedly killed about 50 persons.
Yamu said that the suspects engaged policemen drafted to the troubled spots in a gun duel.
The statement read in part, “the state command deployed five combined teams of mobile and conventional policemen to the scene in Guma led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the operation, ACP, Emmanuel Adesina and engaged the armed herdsmen in a gun duel forcing them to retreat.”
The statement further quoted the state Commissioner of Police, Bashir Makama called for calm as eight herdsmen, six in Guma and two in Logo have been arrested in connection with the attack.”
The statement added that 17 persons including seven members of Benue State Kive Stock Guards were killed and their vehicles burnt and an unknown number of people injured in the attack.