Herdsmen with their livestock

Richard Elesho/ Lokoja

Barely three weeks after suspected herdsmen attacked Tawari community in Kotonkarffe Local Government area of Kogi killing over 20 people, youths in another community in the State have killed  four herdsmen in unrelated action believed to be reprisal attack.

The incident at Oforachi community close to Idah, on Friday,  carried out the killings in retaliation, allegedly after some herdsmen first killed a farmer on his farm in the full glare of policemen.

Mr. Audu, a witness who spoke to journalists said the suspected herdsmen had gone to a farm land, destroyed all the crops and butchered the farmer for his effrontery to invite the police to witness the destructions on his farm.

The police officers were quoted as saying they could not stop the killing because they were not armed.

Angered by the killing of the farmer, the youths mobilised and killed four herdsmen in retaliation.

Tension is said to be high in the community since the ugly development.

A resident confirmed that members of the community no longer sleep, but instead remain  vigilant to stop the herdsmen from unleashing deadly attacks on them at night in retaliation.

Residents of communities such as Ogbogbo, Odolu, Akpanya, that are close to Oforachi are now living in fear as a result of possible reprisal attack by the Fulanis.

There have been attacks in different communities in Kogi State I. the last five years, with Tawari and Oforachi been the latest.

The Public Relations Officer of Kogi State Police Command, Mr Williams Anya, could not be reached to confirmed the development.

No arrests have been made in the Tawari killings, though the state has made promises to bring perpetrators to book.