Suspected armed herders in the late hours of Monday stormed various communities in three local government areas of Benue State and murdered 25 people.
Several people were reportedly taken away and many others were seriously injured.
The invading herders were said to have unleashed terror on Guma, Logo and Tarka local government areas of the state virtually at the same time.
Among the victims was a traditional ruler who was killed in Gaambetiev in Turan council ward in Logo local government area of the state.
Fifteen people were reportedly killed at Tiortyu in the Tarka local government area of the state as well as nine people killed in the Guma local government area by the gun-wielding herders.
The State Government through the Special Adviser on security to Governor Samuel Ortom, Lt Col. Paul Hemba (rtd) confirmed the attack and said that a total of 25 people were killed in the three local governments.
Hemba expressed concern that many people might have been killed but yet to discover, saying that a patrol team had been put in place to search the bushes, particularly around Tarka local government.
According to Hemba, “Yes, those incidences actually happened in Guma, Logo and Tarka, so far, nine corpses were recovered from Guma.
“In Tarka where am just coming from with the Commissioner of Police, 15 corpses were recovered, but we are strongly suspected that more corpses may be recovered from bushes.
“We are arranging a patrol into bushes because some other persons have not been seen. It is also believed that the attackers too left with some other persons alive.
“So, for now, those are the corpses that we could physically see and count.
“In Logo, the same thing happened and a traditional ruler was murdered but now that am back, I will get back to my contacts to see if the figure has risen from the one I got last night,” Hemba explained.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Catherine Anene said she was trying to gather the report.
IN CASE YOU MISSED THESE FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
- ‘Officials initially offered to help but when the number of able-bodied citizens at the centre increased, they left us unattended to’
- Why Ogun Tops List Of ‘Yahoo Boys’ In Nigeria ― Governor Abiodun
- Police, Amotekun after criminals on Lagos-Ibadan expressway
- Suspected cannibal pays N500,000 for boy’s human organs, says ‘that’s my favourite meal, especially the throat’
- Court awards Nnamdi Kanu N1 billion over invasion of his home by military, asks FG to apologise
and then