BREAKING: Fulani herders kill 13 in Benue, occupy many communities

Not less than 13 persons were feared dead since the fresh attack by suspected armed herdsmen on Iwili community in Umogidi Ward and  Entekpa community all in Adoka District of Otukpo Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state.

A source in area disclosed that the attacks left several persons injured while the affected villages have been deserted by the locals who fled for fear of being killed.

According to him, the armed herdsmen initially stormed the villages Saturday afternoon from Agatu LGA, killed thirteen (13) people and promised to attack more communities in near future.

He said: “They came from Agatu which they have been attacking since the beginning of the year. They came through Upaha in Apa LGA and accessed Iwili community in Umuogidi from where they also stormed Entekpa.

“After being resisted by the youths of the communities, they retreated and later remobilised and staged a comeback in the evening during which they sacked the community and killed over 12 persons while several others sustained injuries.

“As we speak the corpses of those killed have not been retrieved because the armed herdsmen have occupied the villages.

“Though the youths of the community are trying to put up a resistance but they are handicapped because they are armed with dane guns but the herdsmen are carrying sophisticated weapons.

“We gathered that security personnel have been sent to the communities but the youths have vowed that Adoka will not fall into the hands of Fulani herdsmen. There is mounting tension in Opa-Adoka and Otukpo as we speak.”

At the time of filing this reports, the displaced person are camping in Adoka Icho (Adoka Centre) in Otukpo LGA.

Efforts to reach the Caretaker Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Council, Alfred Oketa was unsuccessful.

Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent, SP, Catherine Anene said she was yet to receive information on the incident.