Governor Umaru Tanku Almakura yesterday condemned the killing of some Fulani herdsmen by soldiers in Keana Local Government Area of the state Thursday saying that those killed were not insurgents, describing the action as uncalled for.
Almakura spoke at the palace of His Royal Highness, the Osana of Keana, Emmanuel Elayo, during a condolence visit to the affected community in Keana.
“The Fulani herdsmen were gathered in a funeral ceremony of one of their elders when the soldiers invaded them and started shooting and killing them in just about a hundred meters away from the town. They were crying and wailing that they were mourning the death of their elderly man, but the soldiers would not hear but shot nine of them at the spot and later killed six men within the neighbourhood.
“But what we are hearing is that they were insurgents. They could not have been insurgents because every citizen here including the Ardo who is the leader of the Fulani settlement here is a member of Keana. The Ardo is one of the members of the community- based peace committee who has participated actively in the reconciliation between the Tiv and Fulani herdsmen in the state.
“The insurgents are in the forest from where they operated in places like Benue, Kogi and Adamawa. These ones here could not have been the terrorists. We must investigate diligently the circumstances surrounding this operation that led to the death of these innocent herdsmen,” Almakura said.
He however appealed to the Fulani to remain calm and avoid taking laws into their hands as efforts shall be made to ensure that justice was done.
