MASSACRE OF POLICEMEN IN LAFIA: 103 widows protest, get N206m

LAFIA — Following the massacre of Police officers and officers of the Department of State Service, DSS,  in  Alakyo village, near Lafia in Nasarawa State, 103 widows of the slain officers were, yesterday, given N2m compensation each by the State government and Police authorities.

With this development, no fewer than 103 security officials including 93 policemen and 10 officials of the DSS, are now  known to have  actually been massacred by  Ombatse cultists in Nasarawa State.

The new facts emerged from a list of the dead officers whose widows were given N2 million each as palliative measures to cushion the harsh effects of losing their bread winners until their statutory entitlements were settled by the authorities.

PROTEST—Widows of slain policemen at the Police Headquarters in Lafia, Nasarawa State, yesterday. Photos: NAN.

This came against the backdrop of reports that the recurring bloody conflict between Fulani herdsmen and Benue farmers took a dangerous dimension weekend, with no fewer than 47 mourners killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Agatu Local Government Area of the state.

The mourners were reportedly killed while carrying out the burial rites of two police officers killed in last Tuesday’s attack in Nasarawa State.

Five other policemen were reportedly injured weekend, by irate youths who were protesting the the location of a private university by the Senate President, David Mark, at Asa 111 in Otukpo Local Government Area of the state.

The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Abubakar gave the widows of slain officers N1 million each, while the Nasarawa State Government also gave them another N1 million each.

According to the list, 93 policemen, including an Assistant Commissioner, lost their lives just as 10 other DSS officials were also killed by the cultists during the ill-fated operation to arrest the chief priest of the Ombatse cult.
A representative of Governor Al-Makura, of Nasarawa State, Hajiah Zainab Abdulmumuni who was at the state police headquarters in Lafia, to present the government cheques, described the killing of the officers as not only unfortunate but also “a big tragedy; not only to the widows but also to the entire people of Nasarawa State and the country at large.”

Widows’ protest continues

Earlier, the widows had continued with their protest which began Friday after barricading the ever-busy Lafia-Akwanga Highway, even as they carried fresh leaves and placards and refused to go back to their homes, insisting that the death of their husbands could have been avoided.

Some of the widows pleaded with the AIG to replace them with their dead husbands in the force because, according to them “we do not have any other means of livelihood.”

Some of the widows were carrying new babies during the protest while others wore the uniforms of their late husbands. They continuously asked:  “Where are our husbands; we want to go home with them,” even as some of the male police officers could not hold back tears, on sighting them.

They also pleaded with the police high command not to allow them go through serious hardship in the course of getting their husbands’ entitlements just as others also, pleaded with the government to take over the sponsorship of their children’s education since their fathers were no longer alive to take up such responsibility.
The IGP was reportedly not informed about the operation, which was said to have been sabotaged by two policemen and natives of Alakyo who were detailed to lead the way to the forest where the cultists had their operational base.

Presenting the cheques, on behalf of Governor Al-Makura, Hajia Abdulmumuni, said:  “This money is nothing compared to the lives of your husbands. This is meant to aid you in the burial and other immediate needs pending when the full benefits shall be paid.”
The Assistant Inspector General, AIG, in charge of Zone 4, Mr. Michael Zuokumor, who represented the IGP, while sympathizing with the widows said: “l felt bad and troubled when l heard about the ugly news of the death of the officers,” assuring them that he would do everything possible to make sure the statutory benefits of their late husbands who died in active service were paid them at the right time.

Police, state govt present cheques

He further said that the N1million given to the widows by the police boss was meant  “to alleviate the suffering of the immediate families of the deceased.”
The Deputy Police Commissioner in charge of Welfare, Mr. Abiodun Ige who also spoke to the weeping widows, took time to pray to God to take care of them. Ige pleaded with the women not to continue with their protest to the extent of blocking the highways.

What my husband told me — Widow

One of the widows who spoke for the rest said: “My husband told me that day when he was leaving home that they were going on special duty to Benue State and picked his box. On getting to Lafia, he called that the plan had changed and that they may be going for an arrest but the place is not known to them yet. The next time the following morning we started hearing that officers from the base were killed.”

47 mourners killed in Benue

Meanwhile, reliable sources told Vanguard in Agatu, Benue State, that the Fulani herdsmen stormed Okpachanyi village on Sunday morning, while the burial rites were going on and started shooting at the mourners, and in the process,  killed 47 of them on the spot while many escaped with bullet wounds.

”The burial rites of the two slain police men were going on at Okpachanyi village when the armed herdsmen stormed the scene and opened fire on the mourners, killing and maiming the people. Some escaped with bullet wounds,” the source said.

Lamenting the incessant attacks on Benue communities by Fulani herdsmen, Governor Gabriel Suswam hinted that security has been beefed up in the border communities between Benue and Nasarawa States in order to stem the attacks.

”Soldiers and policemen have been deployed at all the affected communities and villages in order to stem the incessant attacks which have taken a dangerous dimension,” Suswam added.

Furthermore, Vanguard gathered from an eyewitness in Otukpo that armed youths had last weekend barricaded the Otukpo/Oju federal highway to protest of the decision of their leaders to allot parcels of land to the Senate President, David Mark for the building of a new university in the town.

”While Akpegede and Otobi communities gave the Senate President the go ahead to use their land, the youths in Asa 111, which is a known hotbed for opposition politics in Benue South Senatorial District, are resisting the establishment of a university in their community.

”They barricaded the road for several days which prompted the decision of the police to intervene but unfortunately, the action was resisted by the youths who fired shots at the policemen, injuring five of the Police men in the process,” he said.

Reacting to the development after a consultative meeting convened by the Och’Otukpo Odu, Chief John Eimonye and attended by district heads, elders and other stakeholders as well as opinion leaders, the community frowned at the action of the youths which was considered to be anti developmental and requested that the perpetrators of the dastardly act be brought to book.

In his reaction, spokesman of the community and 78 year-old retired Army Captain, Reuben  Anyebe described the action of the youths as ‘barbaric and unfortunate’, wondering why anybody would protest the initiative by the Senate President which he said had several developmental opportunities.

The chairman of Otukpo local government council, Dr Innocent Onuh also lamented the ugly development and commended the security operatives for their restraint even in the face of the attack.

However, Vanguard gathered from one of the irate youths that they embarked on the protest to demand compensation for their farmlands which would be used for the proposed institution.

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, in the state, Deputy Superintendent Daniel Ezeala said his office was yet to get the full details of the crisis.