BREAKING: Many dead as gunmen attack Agatu community in Benue

At least four people, including two soldiers, lost their lives in an attack on the Okokolo community in the Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.

According to witnesses, the military personnel were responding to threats of impending attacks on multiple Agatu communities on Thursday when they were ambushed by assailants. Two soldiers were fatally shot, and another sustained serious injuries. The injured soldier was promptly evacuated to Makurdi for treatment, while a comrade who sought refuge in the bush was later rescued in an adjoining village.

Godwin Abuh Edoh, the representative of the Agatu people in the state’s House of Assembly, confirmed the tragic incident, revealing that two people were killed, and several others sustained injuries. Edoh refrained from commenting on the soldiers, stating, “We don’t write the death of soldiers for the military.”

Edoh provided additional details about the attack, saying, “There was an attack from herdsmen. This happened yesterday (Thursday). We lost some lives. Some were injured. What happened was that there was a threat of attacks on villages of Ocholonya and Ugboju k’ Ugbe since the past six days, and those people deserted their place and relocated to Okokolo.”

He continued, “So, it was Okokolo that the men came to attack yesterday. We lost two lives so far while a lot of others were injured. We are still monitoring their medication. We have passed the information about the situation to security agencies and the local government chairman. I have spoken to the deputy governor of the state.”

Audu Sule, a former Agatu lawmaker, also confirmed the attacks on Okokolo community and the ambush of military personnel responding to the threat. He disclosed that two soldiers were killed, and others were injured.