..lament, herders creating a community of widows in state

..says “government’s silence too golden”

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

Bothered by the ceaseless attacks by armed herdsmen in their various communities, hundreds of women on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest in Ugbokpo, the headquarters of Apa Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state to demand an end to the attacks and killings in the area.

The placard-bearing women who trooped out as early as 8 am matched through the streets of Ugbokpo singing sombre songs expressing their grief over the loss of innocent lives to the attacks.

The protest came on the heels of last Sunday’s bloody attacks in Ijaha Ibele Ochekwu and Edikwu Ankpali communities by the armed marauders that reportedly claimed 28 lives and left several others injured.

The protesters some of who bore placards with inscriptions such as “Fulani stop killing our men”, “Apa is our land and not for Fulani”, “Apa a community of widows”, Government has failed us”, Government come to our our aid or we die”, “Fulani must go”, among others came together under the banner of “The Voice of the Voiceless Women in Apa.”

The group in an earlier letter signed by the bereaved women of Apa and endorsed by the Hunter Group Apa Chapter, informing the authorities and security agencies in the LGA of the protest titled, “Notification of a Peaceful Demonstration” expressed deep pain over the endless attacks on their families, homes, and farmlands by armed marauders.

They explained that they resolved to take to the streets following armed herdsmen forceful entrance into their farms, homes, and rooms “to kill and destroy our children, husbands, and dear loved ones, including our fellow women.

“And today, our children can hardly go to school, our lives are in danger, our future is in shambles.”

One of the leaders of the protect who spoke on condition of anonymity expressed concern over what she termed the perceived prolonged silence of the state and federal governments over the unending attacks in the area saying “the government’s silence is too golden.”

Lamenting the attacks, she said “even in the North East where Boko Haram operates, they do not go into people’s homes to slaughter them like animals. But in Ankpali and other parts of Apa, the herdsmen go from house to house, butchering people in such dehumanising and cruel manner. The government must rise up to its responsibilities and put an end to the gruesome murder of our loved ones.”

Contacted, the Chairman of Apa Local Government Council, Mr. Adams Ocheiga declined comment.