Blood flows in Benue again as herdsmen kill 16 in fresh attack

A retired military official and 15 others were reportedly victims of an attack believed to be carried out by suspected armed herdsmen in Wandor, Mbaikyor community, situated in the Mbalom Council Ward of Gwer East Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue State.

Reports indicate that the assailants also destroyed more than 50 houses, huts, farmlands, and food storage facilities across 11 settlements during the assault.

This recent incident occurred approximately six years following a similar assault by armed herdsmen on St. Ignatius Catholic Church, Ukpor Parish, Mbalom Gwer East LGA, resulting in the tragic deaths of two Catholic priests and 17 parishioners.

An unnamed survivor, recounting the ordeal on condition of anonymity, shared that the well-armed attackers, numbering around 40, descended upon the community around 7 p.m., catching the locals off guard.

Detailing the events, the survivor stated, “They approached from Mbasombo towards our village. Near the boundary between Ihyravye and Ayar, there is a Fulani settlement. We are aware of the Alhaji responsible for this because we had previously apprehended three of his associates and handed them over to the Aliade police. There is documentation of this. However, the individuals were subsequently released.”

“The Alhaji in question operates in this area. In fact, among those who lost their lives was a retired military officer, MWO Mbatsavbun Gbatar (retd.), who was the community security adviser reporting this case.”

“The attack caught us completely off guard. They arrived in numbers exceeding 40 around 7 p.m., some armed with guns and others with machetes. The onslaught persisted for over three hours. Presently, more than 50 homes have been set ablaze,” the survivor continued.

Further elaborating, the survivor added, “As soon as they began firing, I immediately contacted someone, urging them to inform the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, about the situation. With swift intervention, perhaps the houses wouldn’t have been torched. Tragically, one victim was burned alive in their home; we had to extract them from the flames.”

The survivor identified the communities ravaged by the attackers, including Tse-Agernor, Tse-Najime, Tse-Wandor, Wandor Market Square, Tse-Ate, Tse-Anyol, Tse-Abagi, Tse-Ifian, Tse-Ukombor, Tse-Girgi Akwaya, Tse-Tion Ukpa, and Tse-Abuur.

Confirming the incident, Mrs. Comfort Agbo, the caretaker chairman of Gwer East LGA, remarked, “Currently, there is a semblance of peace in the Wandor community. The bodies of 16 victims have been recovered, with two individuals sustaining injuries and receiving medical attention.”

She added, “The suspected perpetrators of this heinous act against my people are believed to be armed herdsmen. Security forces are in the process of moving the deceased to the mortuary.”

Superintendent SP Catherine Anene, the Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the incident, mentioning that the Police Commissioner was en route to the scene for an immediate assessment.

Sam Ode, the Benue State Deputy Governor, reportedly led a delegation to the affected community in response to the attack.