Controversy as police, LG chairmen disagree over Benue attack death toll

Confusion surrounds the death toll from a recent attack in Logo and Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Benue State, with conflicting reports emerging.

Sources indicate that at least 30 residents were killed in coordinated attacks by suspected armed herdsmen across several communities in the two LGAs.

The violence, which began on Sunday and extended into the early hours of Monday, resulted in the recovery of 10 corpses in Katsina-Ala and 20 bodies in Logo.

Speaking to journalists in Makurdi, the state capital, Katsina-Ala LGA Chairman, Justine Shaku, confirmed the attack, stating that gunmen killed numerous residents and destroyed valuable property in the area.

Similarly, Logo LGA Chairman, Clement Kav, accused the attackers of claiming ownership of Tombo council ward, saying, “They attacked the Tombo council ward, killing 17 people and injuring 37 others.”

However, the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Catherine Anene, offered a different account, stating that only five bodies had been recovered so far. “Logo attack confirmed. Five bodies recovered,” she said.

The discrepancy in figures has added to the uncertainty surrounding the scale of the attack, which has left many grieving and displaced in the affected communities.