Some worshippers who were in Agboda village in Nasarawa State for a crusade fled for their lives following the alleged invasion of the community by some suspected armed herdsmen.
The worshippers were said to have been overwhelmed with panic on Monday night when the crusade turned chaotic after reports that some armed herders were approaching the gathering.
A viral video from the scene of the crusade showed the members of the congregation running and screaming at the top of their voices.
Although normed herders were captured in the video, residents of the community said the crowd dispersed over the news that some armed herders were on their way to the venue of the crusade.
A resident said, “They came for a crusade here in Agboda in Nasarawa state.
“We came in for a crusade in this community today, look at what the herdsmen did. As you can see the way people are moving… you can see the youth, everybody is unrest (sic) for the sake of herdsmen, right here in Nasarawa state,” the resident stated.
The Cable, however reports that the spokesperson for the police in Nasarawa State, Ramhan Hansel said the command is not aware of the incident.
Hansel said, “We don’t know where that incident happened, and there is no report of anything like that in Nasarawa State, so you can help us speak to the person in the video if you know him and ask him to kindly come forward.
“We don’t know what has not been reported; we are not angels, we are human beings, and if there is no police division in that area, there will at least be an outpost where such matters can be reported.
“Yes, we saw the video on social media, but we do not have any official report of such an incident in Nasarawa state,” Hansel said.
He also said that the Nasarawa Police Command cannot take steps towards launching an independent investigation other than relying on residents’ reports on the matter.
“Since morning, we have been calling all DPOs across the state asking ‘where is this place located?’, but we are yet to get any feedback, so we are appealing that the person in the video or anyone who knows him should please come forward,” Hansel added.
