Gunmen over the weekend killed no fewer than 37 persons in three communities in Rivers and Nasarawa States.
Available information also has it that the gunmen killed 83 cows in Adayi, Nasarawa Local Government Area, where the Nasarawa State attack was carried out.
The suspicion was that that killing was a reprisal by gunmen who crossed over from Benue State.
The leader of the Fulani community of Adayi area of Loko, Mallam Bideri Ahmadu, said gunmen of Agatu origin from Benue State might be behind the killings.
So also did the traditional ruler of Loko, Alhaji Abubakar Ahmed Sabo, accused Agatu youths of being behind the killings.
Ahmadu, in an interview with newsmen, alleged that the Agatu youths crossed over from Benue State about 10:30am on Saturday.
He said the suspects had wanted to “rustle the cows in their boats across River Benue, but the cattle went berserk because of sporadic shootings”.
He said: “Upon realising they could not achieve their aim, the Agatu youth opened fire on the cows, killing 83.
“The injured ones are in the bush.”
Sabo said in the last few weeks, over 20 men, women and children were killed during attacks on Fulani people by Agatu youths from Benue State.
He said the Loko Development Area has only two police officers with no rifles and appealed for more security presence.
Sabo urged the Fulani not to retaliate because the government was looking into the crisis.
The Director of Personnel Management of the development area, Danlami Umar, said the “fishing community has suffered a setback because the riverine area has been taken over by Agatu youths, who kill at will”.
The spokesman of the Nigeria Police in the state, Ismaila Numan, said the Nasarawa Division received a report of the killing of 83 cows by suspected hoodlums and investigation had started.
Also from Rivers State comes the report that no fewer than 17 persons were killed in two separate attacks by some gunmen who invaded two communities in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The communities attacked were Ula-Upata and Edoha.
They were attacked on Saturday.
A group of gunmen was said to have attacked Ula-Upata at about 1.30pm and opened fire on a building, leaving four persons in the area dead.
One of those killed was said to be a 62-year-old woman, Monica Zion.
Two members of a family were also said to have died in the attack.
The Rivers State Police Commissioner, Musa Kimo, confirmed the attacks.
The police, however, put the casualty figure at nine.
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