Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
No fewer than five persons were reportedly killed Tuesday night by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen in Mondo Village, Ukemberagya Gaambetiev Council Ward of Logo Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to a community leader in the area, Chief Joseph Anawah, the Fulani herdsmen, who stormed the village at about 11pm, killed five people and also injured others.
Anawah, who gave the names of the deceased victims as Torkaa Gbim, Celina Tavershima, Ayilaga Tavershima, Sonter Tavershima and Terkaa Tavershima, disclosed that other persons are still missing.
A native of Mondo Village, Mbaapasega Mondo, who spoke to Daily Sun by phone, disclosed that one of his brothers, Aondover Lorver, who was also matcheted by the invaders, managed to escape death by the whiskers, while another woman who was shot in the leg was receiving treatment at the NKST Hospital, Anyii.
Asked about the identity of the invaders, Mondo said his brother told him that the attackers were switching between Fulani and Jukun languages as they attacked the village.
Mondo disclosed further that of the five people that were murdered, four were on Wednesday morning buried, while the remains of the fifth person had been interned in the mortuary.
He said the village had now been deserted following the attack, as villagers are currently taking refuge in Anyii, the headquarters of Logo Local Government Area.
Council chairman of Logo Richard Nyajo, who confirmed the report said he already reported the matter to the Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), Maj. Gen. Adeyemi Yekini.
When contacted, Gen. Yekini confirmed that the attack was a spill over of the Jukun/Tiv crisis in Kente, Taraba State on Tuesday.
Yekini, noting that the affected village in Logo is very close to the area that was attacked in Taraba, said his troops had already visited the scene of the attack.
“My officers visited the village and confirmed that the incident was a spill over attack from the Jukun of Kente, following the outbreak of inter-communal clashes yesterday between the Jukun and Tiv at Kente Taraba State,” Commander Yekini said.
“I spoke with the Security Adviser to Governor Ortom and he is already on his way to Wukari to find amicable solution to the intermittent communal crisis, while our troops are also patrolling the border areas between the two states,” Yekini stated.