Benue State Government on Tuesday conducted a mass burial for 15 indigenes of Mbaikyor, Gwer East Local Government Area, allegedly killed by armed herders.
Speaking during the burial of the victims, the state governor, Hyacinth Alia, said the solution to the incessant attack on farmers by armed herdsmen was the formation of vigilance groups.
OsunDailyNG reports that armed herdsmen had on March 7, attacked Mbaikyor community and killed 17 persons, including a retired WO2 Army officer and a boy.
It was also learnt that two out of the 17 farmers were earlier buried because the corpses were fast decomposing, but the remaining 15 were buried on Tuesday.
The governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Sam Ode, condemned the brutal killings of the people in strong terms.
According to him, the Benue Government was committed to the protection of lives and property of all citizens.
“Today is a sad day in the history of Benue State; to line up caskets like this is unacceptable. I am so sad and my heart is heavy to behold this kind of sight that shouldn’t have happened.
“Security is not for the government alone because there is no one that can protect you like yourself.
”You need to have a Joint Security Taskforce or vigilante groups that would be properly profiled and handed over to the government.
“That is the solution to the insecurity we are facing in the state,” he said.
