Not less than 51 herdsmen have been allegedly killed in an airstrike by an unidentified helicopter in Ekye Development area of Nasarawa State.
Ekye Development area, Doma local government area of Nasarawa State shares border with Benue state.
Nasarawa Police spokesman DSP Ramhan Nansel confirmed the development but could not ascertain the actual number of victims.
He said the sad incident occured in Rukubi community of Doma LGA on the 24th of January.
He said: “It is unfortunate that such a thing happened.The police and other security agencies are working round the clock to understand what led to the attack and track down those involved in the act.”
Governor Abdullahi Sule said he was in touch with his Benue counterpart, Samuel Ortom with a view to bringing the situation under control.
He said, the sad incident which led to the death of many Fulani pastoralists, promise to ensure that those behind the killing of the herdsmen are apprehended and made to face the law.
Doma council Chairman Ahmed Sarki-Usman, who condemned the attack, said: “It must be the activity of some bad elements in the area. The act is capable of causing unrest in the LGA but I particularly want to thank the Fulani people for being calm and allowing the government and security agencies to handle the issue. I assure them that we will get to the roots of the matter.”
Nasarawa chairman of Miyetti Allah Kautal Horai, Ardo Lawal Dano, told newsmen: “The Fulani people are law-abiding citizens. We don’t like trouble, so let the government address the situation because we are really pained losing our loved ones.”
