The Executive Chairman of Gwer West Local Government Area in Benue State, Ormin Torsar, has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in response to rising security threats across the council area and surrounding communities.
The curfew, which will run daily from 6:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., was introduced following intelligence reports that pointed to an increase in violent incidents within the LGA and otherb affected areas of the state.
According to the chairman, the order takes immediate effect and restricts all movement in and out of the Local Government Area beyond the stated hours as part of efforts to restore peace.
“This directive takes immediate effect. All movement in and out of Gwer West LGA must be concluded before 6:30 p.m.,” Torsar announced in a public statement issued on Monday.
He added that the restriction would remain in force until the security situation improves, stressing that the council would continue to review the measure based on developments on the ground.
Torsar’s action comes in the wake of several violent incidents that have claimed lives and displaced residents, including fresh attacks in some communities within the local government and its surroundings.
On Friday, at least nine farmers were reportedly killed when suspected herders attacked Ayilamo and Jato-Acka communities in a coordinated assault that left multiple homes burnt and families devastated.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers, numbering over 20 and armed with deadly weapons, stormed Jato-Acka first, killing six people and setting several houses on fire before heading to Ayilamo to continue their rampage.
In Ayilamo, three more people, including a Livestock Guard officer, were said to have been killed in the second wave of attacks, further compounding the already tense security situation in the area.
These disturbing events reflect the ongoing farmer-herder conflict in Benue, a long-standing issue that continues to test the capacity of local authorities to protect lives and maintain order.
