Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
There was heavy shootings around Tomatar village and environs in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, on Monday, after suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded the area.
Daily Sun gathered from local sources that the attackers had stormed the area and shot sporadically as residents scampered into safety.
A native of Tse Tesghem village, one of the affected communities, Mr. Dennis Imernyi, who spoke with Daily Sun, yesterday, said his people called over the night to inform him that their village and other surrounding villages were under attack, again.
It was further gathered that Tse Tseghem village, near Tomatar, is one of the villages along the Benue riverine area where over 50 persons were massacred on new year day in 2018.
He added that his brothers, who reside in the village, called to inform him, yesterday morning, that two people were shot dead, three houses burnt while a few others sustained gunshot injuries in the attack.
“Reports say the armed gangs engaged the soldiers stationed in the area in a gun battle that lasted for several hours before they were pushed away to the neighbouring Nasarawa State,” Imernyi said.
Confirming the invasion, Force Commander of the Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), Maj. Gen. Adeyemi Yekini, in a telephone chat with Daily Sun, said the armed bandits tried to invade Tomatar general area, in Guma, but, his troops engaged them in a gun battle and inflicted heavy casualty on them.
Yekini said his troops did not suffer any casualty in the battle, even as he assured Benue people that the OPWS will continue to do its best to ensure safety of life and property, by dislodging all armed criminals anywhere in the state.