The Nigerian army has responded to the murder of two Catholic priests and 17 other Catholic worshippers, after the suspected herdsmen attacked a church in Mbalon in Gwer-East Local Area of Benue state, said on Thursday that the new rounds of herdsmen killing people in Benue State that there are people sponsoring it.
Brig. Gen. John Agim, the Director, Defence Information, who reiterated the devotion of the Nigerian army in arresting the suspects, said the soldiers had been discovering guns and other ammunition from the herdsmen and indigenes in other areas of Benue and Taraba states and would not be sentimental here.
“The military is strategising on how to go after the herdsmen and their sponsors. We will get both the herdsmen and their sponsors.
“We want to say this to the killers and their sponsors that the military is coming for them. We are going to get both the killers and their sponsors very soon.
“The military is continuing with all its operations in the areas. Nigerians will soon see a change of approach in our operations.
“Some of the weapons we recovered were seized from the herdsmen. Others are not from the herdsmen. The Dane guns we seized were not from the herdsmen. The military cannot go into an environment to support any side.
“We seized weapons from everyone who had weapons. Some of the weapons were also obtained during engagements with these criminals.”
Still, on the herdsmen slaughtering, the National Economic Council (NEC) has placed a ban on herdsmen’s movement in Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Kaduna, and Plateau.
At a meeting that was held by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday, the council has approved the generation of ranches across the country. Dave Umahi, governor of Ebonyi state, revealed this to state house correspondents at the end of the National Economic Council meeting that was held at the presidential villa in Abuja.
The NEC consists of state governors and important ministries of government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Umahi said the five states that are mainly affected which have witnessed killings from the herdsmen/farmers clashes, are expected to have ranches available within the state.
He added that with ranching, the nomadic herdsmen and their families would be able to have access to good medical facilities and good equip schools for their children if they stay together in one place.
