The Commandant of the Benue State Civil Protection Guards, BSCPG, Capt. Ayuma Ajobi (retd), has dismissed reports that three of its personnel were killed by armed herdsmen in Gyaluwa, Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State.
Recently, rampaging youths in Naka, Gwer West LGA, torched the local government secretariat and properties belonging to prominent individuals in protest over the killing of three youths by Fulani herdsmen.
Ajobi made this clarification on Saturday during an interview with journalists in Makurdi. He described the claims as false and misleading, stating that no BSCPG personnel were killed by armed herdsmen.
He said: “I want to make it categorically clear that the video circulating about what happened on Tuesday in Naka, particularly regarding the alleged killing of BSCPG members, is not true.
“Whoever is spreading such rumours or information is misinformed because they did not consult us as the authority to verify the facts.
“I am the accounting officer for my men, and I know every one of them by name. They are under my command, and whenever they are deployed for an operation, they receive operational orders.
“The individuals mentioned were not part of us, and they embarked on that operation independently. None of my men accompanied them. I therefore refute the claim that those killed were our personnel. The deceased individuals are Terfa Agbe, Ikyange Ayua, and someone called Ushiri.
“I have cross-checked my nominal roll and the list of those under my command, and their names are not there. They are not my men, and I do not know them. All I can say is that they were local youths from that community.”