Fulani Herdsmen kill four policemen, three villagers in Adamawa

Four policemen and three villagers have reportedly lost their lives following an attack by Fulani herdsmen in Demsa local government area of Adamawa state, The Punch reports.

According to a report on The Punch, the Fulani herdsmen, on Saturday, January 7 attacked Kwahine, Gidan dadi and Karalahi villages in the Demsa local government area.

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This was disclosed by the Adamawa state police command on Sunday, January 8.

Although the Adamawa state police command confirmed the killings in the state, the command’s Public Relations Officer, Othman Abubakar claimed that only three riot policemen were killed while two were missing.

Abubakar said four rifles, belonging to the policemen, were also missing.

Abubakar, a Superintendent of Police, said: “Fulani militia attacked the three villages and we lost three of our gallant MOPOL while two are missing.

“We have constituted a high-powered search team and by the special grace of God, we are going to recover our men.

“On the side of the civilians, two bodies have so far been recovered.”

However, Lumsambani Dilli, a member representing Demsa community in the state House of Assembly, said he was reliably informed by his constituents that three villagers and four policemen died in the attacks.

The lawmaker urged the state government to fish out the culprits, especially “the herdsmen who carried out the atrocious acts.”

Dilli, who said five other persons sustained serious injuries and had been taken to the state specialist hospital, observed that there was more behind the attacks.

He said: “If it is about the cows, they had been compensated. So, why then the attacks after compensation had been paid?”

It was learnt that the state government had, after a peace parley with the herdsmen who lost 47 cows to the villagers, offered the aggrieved herdsmen N4.7m compensation.

On his part, Governor Muhammad Bindow condemned the attack, which occurred less than 24 hours after a government delegation on peace-building mission visited the area.

The governor, in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mallam Ahmad Sajoh, directed security agencies to deploy more personnel in the area.

Bindow described the attack as unfortunate and sad, especially coming after recent peace and confidence building efforts.

He said: “The governor feels highly disturbed that after he had sent delegation on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday to interface with the different communities in the area, a clash could occur so soon thereafter.”

He assured residents of the government’s resolve to restore peace to the affected areas and protect the lives of every citizen.

The killings in Adamawa state comes hours after five farmers were gruesomely killed in separate attacks on two communities in Delta state by suspected Fulani herdsmen.