Benue: Another mass burial for Friday

No fewer than 24 victims of the spate of killings by suspected herdsmen will be buried in Benue State on Friday.

The dead will be given mass burial on the order of Governor Samuel Ortom.

It will be coming barely three months after 73 people were given mass burial in the same state after they were killed on January 1, 2018.

The latest victims were killed by suspected herdsmen who stormed Omusu Edimoga in Okpokwu local government area of the state following reports that two of the herdsmen were missing as a result of an encounter with some youths.

It was gathered that following the clash between the two parties, efforts were made to reconcile the warring faction.

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The reconciliation meeting was at the instance of the chairman of the local government, Olofu Ogwuche, and the head of the Fulani community in the area.

But upon the discovery that one of the herdsmen said to be missing was dead, hell was let loose.

Herdsmen went berserk, killing and burning houses.

Majority of their victims are children and women.

The Police have however arrested four persons in connection with the massacre.

Read Also: DSS Frees Journalist Over Boko Haram Ransom Report

The Department of State Services, DSS has released Anthony Ezimakor, the Abuja Bureau Chief of the Daily Independent Newspaper after holding him for about seven days at its Abuja headquarters.

Ezimakor was detained following a news report he wrote for the newspaper that detailed how senior officials of the agency were allegedly racketeering and profiting from the ransom payments made to the Boko Haram by the federal government.

His lawyer said the DSS unsuccessfully pressed him to disclose the identity of his source for the story in exchange for his freedom.

He was freed around 10.30pm on Tuesday night.

His release followed wide condemnation of the DSS from both local and international rights groups over his detention.