There is growing outrage across the country as the death toll in the mayhem being unleashed on Benue State climbed to 72.
Governor Hyacinth Alia of the State had in a speech during the Easter Sunday mass at the Government House, declared that the state was under siege and losing ground to armed Fulani herdsmen.
He told the congregation, “If you hear something, say something, it will enable the security agents to move out there and repel the invaders.
“We are under siege as a state, and those who are attacking us must have a face, must have an aim, and must have a drive.
"They come, they drag people out, they kill to occupy. This is extremely unacceptable.”
It has now been confirmed that at least 72 persons have paid the supreme price. This is following the recovery of 13 more bodies from the attacks on Ukum and Logo Local Government Areas of the state.
Principal Special Assistant (PSA) to Benue Governor on Media and Content Creation, Isaac Uzaan, who gave the update, said the bodies were found in both attacked local government areas.
Uzaan told PUNCH that 12 bodies were recovered from Ukum and the remaining one in Logo, making the number of fresh recovery 13, while the total fatalities now stands at 72.
Recall that many rural communities of Sankera axis comprising three LGAs of Ukum, Logo and Kastina-Ala came under attack between Thursday night and Friday morning, leading to the massacre of several individuals.
Meanwhile, Alia has warned politicians who have taken advantage of the security situation to desist, saying it was not the time to do so.
“I invite you politicians to stay clear. Don’t be part of those who are attacking us.
"We have some machinery in place to dig deeper to let us know who is a culprit, who is involved in the destruction of our state.
“A terrorist is a terrorist irrespective of his ethnicity or his religion. Criminality is criminality period! So whoever commits it is a terrorist and he should not be where the living are”, the governor stated.