No fewer than 19 people were reportedly killed in a fresh attack on some communities in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State by bandits suspected to be armed herders.
Our correspondent learnt on Monday that the attack began on Saturday when 16 farmers were killed and their bodies thrown into River Katsina-Ala.
The killing, according to a Kwande indigene who did not want to be mentioned for fear of being killed, involved farmers from the Mbandwa ward.
He said, “The farmers were returning to their community in Mbanduwa ward when they were ambushed along the Kashimbila road and killed.
“Their bodies were dropped in River Katsina Ala.
TheNigerian Metro gathered that the second attack happened on Monday afternoon at Boaguwa in Kumakua council ward in the same Local Government Area which claimed three lives.
Residents of communities within the area were reported to have fled to Jato Acka for safety.
Confirming the report, the President General of Mzough U Tiv Worldwide and leader of the three socio-cultural groups, (Mzough U Tiv, OchiitaK’idoma and Om’Ngede, a retired Comptroller of Prisons, Iorbee Ihagh, said that all the six council wards in Turan had been deserted.
Ihagh who was at Jato Acka when he spoke to our correspondent on the telephone on Monday evening said that 16 farmers were killed on Saturday and their bodies thrown into River Katsina-Ala.
He said, “ I am right now in Jato Acka. I was told that 16 farmers were killed along the Kashimbila road at the weekend and their bodies were thrown into River Katsina-Ala.
“As I am talking to you now, armed herders have attacked Boaguwa in Kumakua council ward, three dead bodies have been recovered.
“People have fled their communities and ran to Jato Acka. I doubt if this place (Jato Acka) is safe right now.”
Ihagh who claimed that all the six council wards in Turan in Kwande LGA had been overrun by suspected armed herders appealed to President Bola Tinubu to deploy more troops to the area.
When contacted, the Special Adviser to the governor on Internal Security, Joseph Har, directed our correspondent to the Director General, Internal Security, Israel Gbawuam, for confirmation.
However, Gbawuam’s telephone number was out of reach when our correspondent tried to call him on Monday.
Similarly, efforts to get the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, Catherine Anene, were not successful as she dropped the call made to her cell phone.
