In less than 48 hours after two Catholic Priests and 17 worshipers
were killed by suspected herdsmen at Mbalon in Gwer East Local
government area of Benue state, the marauders late Tuesday night and
early Wednesday launched a coordinated attack on three communities in
Guma local government area, killing no fewer than 39 persons, injuring
scores and razing over 160 houses, huts and farmlands in the
communities, Vanguard reports.
It was gathered from sources in the affected communities that the
death toll could be higher as more bodies were being recovered from
communities.
Among the communities and villages affected in the attack were
Tse-Umenge, Mbadwen council ward, Mbakpase, Saghev council ward and
Tse-Ali, Mbawa council ward.
Confirming the attack on his village Tse-Umenge a retired Permanent
Secretary in the Benue state service, said close to 50 houses were
burnt in his village by armed herdsmen.
He said, “in my village Umenge they did not kill anybody because the people had already fled but they raised over 50 houses.
“But in the council ward itself over 15 persons were killed in
the attack which commenced late Tuesday till early Wednesday, though the
number might increase because the search for more bodies is still
ongoing.”
Another Source at Tomanyiin-Mbakpaase, Saghev Council ward who is
also a Journalist said the invaders launched an attack on his community
on Tuesday around 11pm.
“They came dressed in military fatigue shooting sporadically.
They also burnt down several houses and huts numbering over 62 and our
food barns. So far we have recovered three bodies in my village and
everyone has fled the village because we don’t have even a Police post
in the village.”
At Tse-Ali in Mbawa council ward, and indigene of the area said the
well armed herdsmen besieged the community around 11pm and spent close
to four houses ransacking the community and razing over 70 houses after
they had killed over 21 persons whose bodies have been recovered from
the bushes.
“It was like a war situation in Tse-Ali, the sound of gunshots
were coming from every direction. People were running in all directions,
they killed our people like animals who were mostly women and children.
“After the killing of close to 21 persons whose bodies have
been recovered so far and injuring many, they burnt 49 houses in the
village and carting away whatever food they could carry.”
“As we speak, Tse Ali has been deserted, our people do not know
where to run to because every village and community is a potential
target and nobody knows where will be the next target.
“We cannot tell why they are doing this to us. These people are
killing our women and children and the federal government is watch
while our people are being killed and butchered as if we do not have a
government in Nigeria.”
When contacted, the Benue State Police Commissioner. Fatai Owoseni said he was yet to get details of the attacks.
All effort to get the Chairman of Guma local Government area,
Anthony Shawon was fruitless, though one of his aides who craved
anonymity said, “chairman cannot pick any calls now because he is moving
to the effected communities with medical personnel to salvage any life
they could.”
“You know that several communities were affected in the attack
and he is trying to get to the affected places which is obviously not
easy,” he added.
As at the time of filing this report many recovered bodies and the
injured were being moved to the Benue State University Teaching
Hospital, BSUTH, where appeals were being made for people to volunteer
blood to save the lives of those in dire need of infusion.
Meanwhile, a former Member of the House of Representatives and
Chairperson of the Benue Women Forum, Mrs. Rebecca Apedzan has lamented
that the sustained attacks and killings in Benue by herdsmen was an
indication that the invaders were bent on taking over Benue state.
She said, “Benue had been surrounded and we are all at the
middle. Our people are being killed everyday even the Tivs in Nasarawa
state are facing the same fate.
“They have all been chased away from Nasarawa. I have cousins
who are indigenes of that state who have been chased away from the state
to Benue.
“Our pain is that the federal government is simply not doing
anything to stop these killings. In fact they are enjoying what you see
happening. Since this thing started happening the federal government has
come out with different versions of those responsible for the killings.
“They are collecting arms from the people across the states but herdsmen are not being disarmed.
“It is only President Muhammadu Buhari that can stop this but
he is carrying on as if nothing is happening. We have not heard him make
a strong statement about this issue. He condemns and promises to get to
the root of it and nothing happens.
“We are looking onto God to intervene in this matter because that is where our hopes lie at the moment.”