26 Killed in Overnight Attacks on Benue Communities

 

By Oche O Onu

At least 26 people have lost their lives following fresh overnight attacks on several communities in Benue State's Makurdi and Katsina-Ala local government areas.

Sources revealed that 25 people were brutally murdered in Mtswenem and Akondotyough Bawa communities, located in the North Bank area of Makurdi LGA. A separate attack claimed one life in the villages of Kenvanger and Agbami, situated in Mbatyula ward of Katsina-Ala LGA.

Eyewitnesses said the coordinated assaults occurred between midnight and 2 a.m. on Thursday. Heavily armed assailants, wielding both firearms and machetes, reportedly stormed homes and killed residents in their sleep.

One survivor, identified only as Iorpuu, said the casualties included women and children, with several others still unaccounted for. “They came and started killing people. Some of us managed to escape, but others didn’t. I heard that the number of deaths rose to 25 because some victims died while being taken to the hospital,” he recounted.

Another local resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the attackers first struck a village near the University of Agriculture in Makurdi, killing four people. They then moved to another community near the Low Cost Housing Estate, where the death toll increased significantly.

“I can’t confirm the exact number of casualties,” the resident added.

In Katsina-Ala, the assailants reportedly invaded Kenvanger and Agbami villages around 1 a.m. Witnesses said the attackers attempted to assault nursing mothers, prompting an intervention by local men. A confrontation ensued, during which one person was shot dead and several others injured. At Agbami, residents were beaten, but no deaths were reported.

When contacted, Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, confirmed that officers had been deployed to the affected areas in Makurdi. He assured the public that further updates would be provided. However, he noted that the police had not yet received official reports concerning the Katsina-Ala incident as of the time of this report.