From Austin Ajayi (Yola) , Chuks Oyema-Aziken (Abuja), and Austine Tule, Makurdi
Herdsmen have killed 30 people in Adamawa State. One of the victims is the Publicity Secretary of the Peoplea��s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Mr. Sam Zadock.
The state PDP Secretary, Alhaji Abdullahi Prambe, told newsmen on Wednesday in Yola that the incident was a a�?big shocka��a�� to the party.
He said: a�?We were expecting him for a meeting yesterday but he didna��t show up; he called me but the network wasna��t good only for us to hear that he was killed in an attack.a�?
Pramble condemned the incident and called on the government to urgently do something about the killings in Adamawa.
A youth leader in the area, Mr. Paul Turaki, said that Zadock was killed with four others traveling in the same car in an ambush around Barre village in Demsa Local Government Area.
An army spokesman in the area, Brig. Gen. Texas Chukwu, said in a statement that 10 suspected gunmen involved in the attack were killed while six others arrested.
Zadok was a one-time Commissioner for Youth and Sports in the state.
He was in the company of Mr. Sanford, Mr. Sabo Kwale and Pastor Enoch Shovk to pay a condolence visit in Borroung town when they were killed, family sources said.
Hon. Omayan Tambaya Dilli, a native of Gwamba village in Demsa council confirmed to newsmen in Demsa that 20 people were killed and several others injured after some suspected herdsmen attacked the village.
But yesterday, agency report indicated that the death toll had risen to 30. Residents disclosed that 10 more bodies of the victims of the attack were found on Wednesday. The attack was launched by the herdsmen on Tuesday when they killed 20 people.
According to Dilli, the attack happened about 8am Tuesday and lasted till 11am without any military intervention.
The herdsmen drove into the area in four Hilux vehicles and motor bikes in their numbers.
According to Dilli, “we received letters and phone calls from the suspected assailants two weeks before the attack and we reported the same to the Police Division in Gwamba”.
“So, we are surprised that they can come and attack for hours and leave before the military came briefly and left.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Othman Abubakar, said that the command had not received any report of the attack but admitted that there were rumours of it in Demsa.
In Benue State, Fulani herdsmen who invaded Mbatoho community in Makurdi have displaced 5,000 residents.
The AUTHORITY gathered that the herdsmen had been feeding their cattle on the produce of the farmers.
No life was reportedly lost during the incident, as the herdsmen simply asked the residents to vacate their homes before burning their homes..
Herdsmen Attacks: 30 killed in Adamawa, 5,000 displaced in Beneue
