The Benue State Police Command has arraigned six Fulani herdsmen over alleged involvement in the killing of 20 farmers in Akor village, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.

The suspects were arraigned before Isaac Ajim, presiding Magistrate of the Makurdi Chief Magistrate Court 1, in the state capital.

Also, the police arraigned one Ibrahim Adamu, another herdsman who allegedly violated the Open Grazing Prohibition Law, which had already taken effect in the state.

Adamu was arrested on December 28 while grazing openly with about 70 cows along Naka road in Makurdi, alongside one Hassam Musa, who was said to have fled the scene.

Soon after the herdsmen attack of January 2, the police said about 17 persons had been killed. However, the death toll rose to 20 after three more persons died at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital.

Samuel Ortom, Governor of Benue State, blamed the attacks on the inability of security agencies to live up to their responsibilities.

“This is unfortunate. The security agencies of this country are aware of what is happening in Benue,” Ortom lamented.

“We must rise up; Nigerians must rise up; the Federal Government must rise up to protect us because this is not right.

“They [FG] own the security apparatus. The ones that are here are doing their best but there should be more and that is what we are calling for.”

There had been mass killings in Benue, Rivers, Kaduna and Kwara States, less than five days into 2018, highlighting the rising insecurity in the country.