Police say 27 pastoralists killed in Nasarawa

At least 27 pastoralists were killed in an airstrike in the Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, the state Police Command confirmed on Thursday.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ramhan Nansel, confirmed the casualty figure.

Nansel explained that preliminary investigation revealed that the pastoralists had on Tuesday gone to Benue State to pay fines for the release of cattle impounded by the Benue State Livestock Guards implementing the state’s Anti-Open Grazing and Ranching  Law.

He said, “While they were loading some of the cows into vehicles on Tuesday night in Kwatiri village, a border community between Benue and Nasarawa, something like a drone or an aircraft hovered in the air and shelled them.”

Nansel said the Commissioner of Police, Maiyaki Mohammed-Baba, had visited the scene of the incident and also attended the burial of the deceased alongside the state Deputy Governor, Dr Emmanuel Akabe, and some traditional rulers.

He said, “Investigation is ongoing to unravel those behind the act. The command has deployed policemen in the area to prevent breakdown of law and order.”

Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, condemned the dastardly act, saying he was in touch with his Benue State counterpart, Samuel Ortom, over the matter as security agencies continue their investigations.

Sule called on the people to remain calm and not take laws into their own hands.

The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria also condemned the killing and called for full investigation to unravel those behind the attack.