Hon Bako Ejeh, the chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State, has narrated how suspected herdsmen murdered his son, Jason Ochohepo Bako, and 45 others in cold blood.
Last week, gunmen stormed Umogidi community of Entekpa Adoka district in Otukpo LGA and killed scores in a deadly homicidal attack.
Taking to his Facebook page on Monday, April 10, the LG chairman narrated how he and his late son begged military men to stay back and protect the community after the first attack launched on Tuesday, April 4, but they refused and allegedly left.
According to him, the suspected herdsmen returned the following day, March 5, and launched another attack, killing 46 people, including his son.
Read his heartbreaking post below,
“In the wake of dawn of Tuesday, 4th April, 2023, three corpses belonging to Umogidi, my village were found and the burial set out for. After this previous day attack, I went down to Umogidi with some Military men to safeguard my people. They stayed for a while and made to leave. Despite all the pleadings by me and my people including my deceased son they left,” he narrated.
“Immediately they left, I went up of my village to visit the families of the victims of the attack of the previous day. While there, we started hearing gunshots. A lot of it. I made to go there myself because my kids were there but was held down. The shooting continued for about thirty (30) minutes
“After the whole saga, I went in search of my boys. I searched and searched until I found the lifeless body of my son on the outskirt of the village. He ran very far from where he was before he was finally killed. With the help of other four persons I dug my son’s grave and buried him there where his body was found.
“I also dug the graves for other forty-six persons with the assistance of the four people as well. The whole village was ravaged and my people sacked from their homes.
The sight is what I don’t wish anyone. A father having to bury their own child is painful but doing it in the manner it happened is something else, however, in all these, we pray for peace and God’s protection. Only God can console all of us. May the soul of my son, my nephew, his father and that of all those lost in the attack find peace. Rt. Hon. Bako Ejeh.”
