The suspected Fulani herdsmen believed to be illegal migrants from Niger Republic were escorted by armed security personnel to Gakem, a border town between Cross River and Benue states, from where they will be led out of the country, the Punch gathered.
The eviction was reportedly coordinated in conjunctionwith the office of the State Security Adviser.
According to the State Security Adviser, Jude Ngaji, themigrants could not convince the security personnel that interrogated them on why they came to Obudu, so they were evacuated from Obudu because they had no valid documents.
Ngaji said, “The exercise was carried out in the most civil manner.“We actually got the immigration to evict them becausethey did not have passports and other valid documents.
You know, the issue of herdsmen has become a national concern. But note that they willinglycooperated with the operatives, not under coercion,” hesaid.Eyewitness alleged that the suspects were citizens of Niger Republic that came to Obudu under the pretext ofselling local herbs.
One Sunday Alenke, said, “They came into Obudu a few months ago and have been selling traditional medicines to people and penetrating the villages, but our people have noticed them and there is outcry to getthem out because of the prevailing security situation involving Fulani herdsmen in nearby Benue State and across the country.
“Our people have expressed serious fears about their presence. The Immigration invited them and they found out that some of them had expired ECOWAS passports while others did not have any paper at all.“
So, they decided to get them out of Obudu. They escorted them to the boundary town of Gakem in Bekwarra LGA from where they handed them over to a monitoring team in Benue State that will see them out of the country,” Alenke said.
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