Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

Nine persons have been reportedly killed by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen in Guma and Logo Local Government areas of Benue State.

Daily Sun gathered that eight persons were killed in Tse Shan in Saghev Guma Local Government Area, while one person was also killed Tse Igbur village in Logo local government area.

Sources from Guma revealed that the armed militia, at about 3am on Wednesday, attacked Tse Shan village shooting in all direction while the villagers who were just returning home after staying for months in IDP camps ran for safety.

Our sources said in the end, eight corpses of villagers were recovered while several persons are said to be missing and many injured.

Reacting to the development, Chairman of Guma Local Government Area, Mr. Anthony Shawon lamented that the victims included two students who came to write the National Examination Council (NECO) in the Community.

Shawon told our correspondent that he had already submitted the report of the attack to the Special adviser on security, Col. Paul Hemba (retired) revealing further that both the dead and the injured had been conveyed to Gbajimba General Hospital.

The Chairman stated that he also received information that while retreating, the militia attacked several people along their routes with one body discovered along the road in Logo Local Government Area.

A community leader in Logo, Chief Joseph Anawah, who confirmed the attack on Tse Igbur, said the herdsmen invaded the area around 9:30pm on Tuesday, killed one person and injured many.

Anawah who had earlier raised the alarm over the withdrawal of security posted to the area on Sunday suspected that the sudden withdrawal of the security operatives was to give the killers the opportunity to strike.

“We earlier suspected sinister motives by the sudden withdrawal of security posted to this area. It appears like a collaboration with the killer herdsmen by the military.”

Our correspondent gathered that the Commander of the 72 Special Forces Battalion had already dispatched soldiers to the scene of the attack found.

Speaking on the matter, Security Adviser, Col. Hemba believed that the attackers came from a base in Logo Local Government Area.

The police could not be reached for confirmation at the time of filing this report.