13 killed in Benue communities

Gunmen suspected to be armed herders have killed 13 people in separate attacks on Benue communities on Sunday.

According to locals, 12 people were reportedly killed in  Egwuma in Agatu, and one displaced person returning from a farm in Gwer West LGAs of the state.

Some locals who spoke to journalists on Monday in a telephone chat said that one displaced person was injured and five others still missing.

At Egwumoa, in Agatu LGA, suspected armed herders were said to have attacked the community in a killing spree.

Confirming the report, a lawmaker representing the Agatu state constituency at the House of Assembly, Godwin Edoh said that 12 people were killed.

He said, “We are tired of this daily killing at Ogbumogbo, Ejima and all those areas down to Ikpele, those villages have been deserted for close to one year. So, those places are like the Fulani colony.

“This one happened yesterday (Sunday) 12 people were killed.”

When told that the governor said relative peace had returned and that IDPs are going back to their ancestral homes, the lawmaker said, “It’s a lie, they are talking nonsense. There is no peace anywhere.”

“Even the IDPs they said have returned, if you go there you will see them there, so I don’t know why they use propaganda, it’s not correct.

In Gwer West LGA, suspected armed herders were reported to have attacked some displaced persons who were returning from their farms on Sunday killing one, one injured and five others still missing.

A former camp manager in Agagbe IDP camp, Jacob Terna said, “Armed Fulani herders attacked and killed Mr Ikyumbu Aondowase, 30, while  Mr Achin Terzungwe, 45, was badly injured and five others missing.”

He said that the suspected armed herders ambushed the displaced people while returning from their farms.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer for the state command, Catherine Anene, confirmed the killing of five people in the Agatu community but said she was not aware of the incident in Agagbe, Gwer West LGA.

She said, “There was an attack in Agatu, about five persons were killed but in Gwer West am not aware of that.”