Gunmen suspected to be Fulani militias have gruesomely murdered a popular lawyer, human rights activist, and politician, Moses Udam and his pregnant wife in Makurdi, Benue State.
According to reports, the attackers stormed their residence very late at night when they were fast asleep and slaughtered them.
Besides Udam and his pregnant wife, a third person identified as elder Nyikyor Mazugu was also murdered while three people are being treated for severe injuries sustained during the attack by the militias.
Udam, in 2015, contested for the Makurdi Local Government Chairmanship seat on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
This development was confirmed by the Governor of the state, Samuel Ortom, on Wednesday.
Mr Ortom said he will fold his arms and watch Benue State succumb to attacks by terrorists whether they are jihadists or militias.
The Governor made his stance known while addressing journalists when he visited the scene of herders’ attack on Agboughul community, adding that the sole aim of the attackers is to occupy the state and destroy lives and property.
Ortom stated that the pattern of the attack and killings barely four days after a similar incident at Tse-Angbande was unfortunate and bore the handwriting of mindless militias who had set out to overrun the state.
The Governor noted that the series of attacks was a grand plan to whittle down operations of Livestock Guards and Agro Rangers who are doing very well in containing attacks on communities and enforcing the ranching law of the state.
According to Ortom, it is a big wonder why saner climes with a higher number of cattle compared to Nigeria have no cases of conflicts between herders and farmers. He said this was possible due to ranching which is also being practised in Benue, emphasizing that he would continue to speak against impunity in the country
