Armed bandits make assassination attempt on Commander of Benue Livestock Guards

By TOR VANDE-ACKA, Makurdi

Armed bandits on Friday made an assassination attempt on the life of the Commander of the Livestock Guards in Benue, Linus Zaki.

Although, Zaki escaped the attack, unscathed, the bandits succeeded in killing one of the livestock guards and shooting an Agro Ranger close to the eye.

The Special Adviser on Security, Colonel Paul Hembah retired, who disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the incident in Makurdi on Saturday, said, the attack took place at about 4pm on Friday at Zongo, Mbalagh council ward of Makurdi local government area of the state.

He also said that soon as the bandits attacked, the team succeeded in placing a distress call through to Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), the military spike operation in the state.

The Security Adviser explained that the bandits however took off before the security agencies would arrive the scene.

According to him, “Yesterday, there was an incident of an attack on the livestock guards, who were in company of Agro Rangers in Mbalagh Council ward, just behind NASME (Nigeria Army school of military Engineering) barracks.

“On their way back from patrol, they were ambushed by some armed bandits, who saw the patrol team coming and suddenly opened fire on them, killing one of them, instantly.

“His corpse has been deposited at the mortuary of the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) and the other one (an Agro Ranger) who got hit by the eye is receiving treatment.

“We immediately called on members of operation whirl stroke, they responded swiftly, but before their arrival, the gunmen had vanished.

“The pattern of the attacks we have noted is that they are particularly targeting members of the livestock guards for attacks, probably to intimidate them and stop them from doing their job.

“We’ve been experiencing series of attacks like this one from herdsman, recently. All these attacks are unprovoked, the herdsmen just come; for the fun of it, target a particular village, open fire, kill people and disappear before the security agencies will react.”, he explained.

Corroborating the report, the Commander, Benue state livestock guards, Linus Zaki said, his men would not be deterred by attacks on his person as well as his men by armed bandits.

He said, “Attacks on us will not make us flee the job; this is not the first time. We remain resolute and are determined that we will not leave our land for them. They have to respect the law,” he stated.(  Saturday Independent)