From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
No fewer than 19 people, including children, women and the aged have been reportedly killed on Sunday and Monday by suspected herdsmen at Mbachon and Tse Amgbem close to Aondoana in Gwer West LGA of Benue State.
Sources from the area disclosed that the attackers also burnt down the entire Amgbem Community and left many other locals injured.
According to our source, the invaders, suspected to be Herdsmen stormed the village at about 3am while the people were asleep and started moving from compound to compound and killing everyone in sight.
“They also ensured that no house is left in the village as they burnt down everything while the people ran in all direction for safety. In fact, many people were injured while some are still missing right now.”
Our impeccable sources who did not want to be named said troops of the Operation Whirl Stroke, OPWS have since been alerted and they have been on ground, combing the bushes in the area on the trail of the attackers.
He said the attack had caused a serious humanitarian crisis in the area as hundreds of people who were displaced from the area are now taking refugee in Aondoana Community, the Village of the first Lady, Mrs. Eunice Ortom.
Chairman of Gwer West is Mrs. Grace Igbabon confirmed the report saying the victim’s were killed in two separate attacks.
She said, “We had about six persons yesterday (Sunday) and 13 people today.
“I was told that the attackers were suspected fulani herdsmen who attacked the Mbamodu (Amgbem) community and killed 13 people and several others injured. The attackers burnt down several houses in the community.
“Other incidents happened on Sunday at the other side of Mbachon. I gathered that some Motorcyclist were riding on the road and they saw a man in military uniform who flagged them down.
“I was told that in the process of slowing down, another set of people who possibly had laid ambush came out from the bush and shot severally at them. Four of them died and one was lucky escaped.
“Also along Naka/Makurdi road on Sunday, they (suspected herdsmen) killed two other people bringing the number of those killed on Sunday to six. So, between yesterday and today, these gunmen have killed 19 people in my council,” she said.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer PPRO, DSP Catherine Anene confirmed the report but added that she was yet to get the full details of the attacks at the time of filing this report.
It would be recalled that there seem to have been a sustained attack on Benue communities in the last few weeks. Only last week Tuesday, seven IDPs were killed and many others injured after suspected Herdsmen attacked the Abagana IDP camp on the outskirts of Makurdi.
