Killing of 4 policemen by suspected herders unacceptable – HURIWA

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA ) has described the reported killing of four Mobile Policemen in a fresh Sunday afternoon armed herders’ attack on Udei community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State as unacceptable violence.

The rights group called for urgent foolproof proactive security measures to stem the tide.

HURIWA, in a statement issued by its national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, on Monday, stated that the intelligence community must ascertain the exact locations whereby the mass murderers are coming from with a view to ensuring that future incursions into any farming communities to cause havoc and unleash violence by the armed herders are nipped in the bud .

“It was noted that Udei community is less than 15 15-minute drive from the Yelewata community that was equally invaded over two weeks ago by armed bandits even as the marauders who launched the attacks at about 11 am also attempted to storm neighbouring Daudu but were repelled by a combined team of security agencies and the youths of the area.

“They were said to have invaded the Asha community, where they shot sporadically, chasing people away from their farms, and it eventually escalated to Ortese, which is home to thousands of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs.

“The source disclosed that the quick intervention of the military personnel stationed in the area who engaged the marauders in the bush halted their move into Ortese, and no resident was killed in the renewed attack,” the statement said.

HURIWA which applauded the efforts of the Army to stop a large scale attack, however urged the security forces to explore hard-core intelligence to prevent these incessant attacks from taking place.

The rights group asked the police Inspector General to ensure that police operatives posted to the frontline of terrorists attacks are adequately equipped with the right kind of weapons to overwhelm these terrorists and defend the citizens of Nigeria.