Herdsmen invade Benue community, kill 12 in fresh attack

12 persons were also reportedly killed by the suspected herdsmen who invaded Tse Ibe, Tse Katsa, Tse Melayongu and Mbaakpam in Mbapa Council Ward as well as Tse Agungu Unger in Mbabuande Council Ward all of Gwer West LGA.

It was gathered from an indigene of the area, who narrowly escaped with his life, that nine persons were killed in Mbapa Council Ward while three others were murdered in Mbabuande Council Ward of the LGA.

According to the source who said he lost his elder brother in the attack, the armed herdsmen stormed Tse Ibe village on motorcycles at about 4 pm on Thursday.

“They commenced the attack killing only men while asking women to escape with children. They later moved in convey to Kyande settlement area where they continued with the attack. I was lucky to have escaped with a motorcycle from the community, “ he added.

When contacted, the Chairman of Gwer West LGA, Mrs Grace Igbabon said the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in charge of Naka and other security agencies had moved to the affected communities to ascertain the level of the attack.

“But my security secretary whose maternal home was affected in the attack told me that some of the recovered bodies were badly mutilated by the attackers and the people were making arrangement to have them buried. But I am waiting for the DPO to return from the said affected areas before I can make a formal or informed statement,” she said.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent, SP, Catherine Anene said she had received reports of the attack in Kwande but was yet to get full details of the incident.