At Least Ten Killed, Other Injured In Fresh Benue Attack By Suspected Herders

Reports indicate that suspected armed herdsmen recently caused chaos in Apa, Kwande, and Guma Local Government Areas of Benue State, resulting in the deaths of 10 individuals and injuries to many others.

Naija News learnt that the assailants, who have been moving through various Benue communities with their cattle during the dry season, have launched relentless attacks on Ubele, Ochumekwu, Adija, Kano, and Ijaha in Apa LGA over the past three days.

The National Chairman of the Apa Development Association, a socio-cultural organization, Eche Akpoko, told journalists about the recent attacks and expressed deep concern over the continuous violence and killings in Apa by these attackers, emphasizing that the assaults occurred within a span of three days.

“I can confirm to you that there were serial of attacks on the following communities: Ijaha-Ibele, where five people were killed; Ochumekwu recorded three casualties; in Adija, one person was killed, sameasKanocommunity, where one person was also killed.

“These were all in Apa LGA,” Vanguard quoted Akpoko saying.

He noted further that the attack spread to Yelewata in Guma LGA, where a middle-aged farmer, Oryiman Ifa, was hacked Sunday morning in his cassava farm by herders, who invaded his farm with their cattle.

Also speaking on the attacks, a farmer reportedly said: “He was left in his pool of blood but was lucky to have been rescued by neighbours, who saw him in the bush and rushed him to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, BSUTH, Makurdi, where he is receiving treatment.”

Naija News also learnt that on Sunday evening, the marauders were said to have infiltrated the Moon on River Mkomun, located near the Cameroon border with Benue State.

Reports indicate that the local residents were surrounded and trapped by these marauders, who posed a serious threat to their lives.

“Some of the trapped villagers were able to escape upon payment of ₦5,000 each to those who helped them to escape from the entrapment,” the farmer disclosed further.

However, the state police command is yet to issue any official statement regarding these events.