By Peter Duru
NO fewer than four persons have been confirmed dead at Anchiha village near Ikpayongo, Mbasombo in Gwer local government area of Benue State in a renewed bloody clash between Fulani herdsmen and Tivs.

The latest massacre is coming on the heels of a recently convened stakeholders meeting organized by Governor Gabriel Suswam to resolve the incessant skirmishes between Fulani herdsmen and natives in the state.

An eye witness, Chief Alexander Mkwen, told newsmen that he heard gun shots in Anchiha community and inquired to know what was happening only to discover that some people dressed in military uniforms with sophisticated weapons had slaughtered four members of the community.

Chief Mkwen said on sighting the armed men, he fled and reported the matter to the district head of Mbasombo, Chief Joseph Orkar Kobi, who quickly informed the Police in the area about the incident.

He said: “Before the arrival of the Police, the men ran into the bush while the villagers carried the mutilated bodies of four deceased and deposited them in the mortuary.”

Speaking on the incident, Gwer Local Government Council Chairman, Mr. Simon Iwar and the district head of Mbasombo, Chief Joseph Orkar, lamented the frequent crisis between the herdsmen and their host communities, adding that he had appealed to the people to remain calm and allow the Police to step into the issue.

When contacted, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Aliade, Mr. Patrick Onyejekwe SP, who said the Police had received report of the incident assured that his men would track down perpetrators of the atrocious act just as he urged the people to remain calm and report any suspected persons to the police for necessary action.

Vanguard recalls that few weeks ago at a peace meeting called by Governor Gabriel Suswam to find lasting solutions to the unabated crisis between the natives and Fulani herdsmen, the contending parties had reached an accord to refrain from any further attacks on each other.