Eight Killed, Scores Missing as Gunmen Sack Benue Communities

Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen on Saturday unleashed terror in some communities in the Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State killing eight people, while scores of villagers are said to be missing. Residents of the affected communities, such as Ogwumogbo, Ikpele and Ejima, were reported to have fled their villages. Agatu communities have consistently witnessed armed herders attacks in the past two weeks with troops and civilians killed.

In the first attack, which happened on January 18, 2024, five people, including three soldiers, were ambushed and killed. Barely five days after, a former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mike Inalegwu who hails from the LG, confirmed another attack leading to the death of two people.The Saturday attack, the third in the past two weeks, was said to have lasted four hours with the armed herders raiding several communities.

A resident of the local government, who did not want his name mentioned for safety reasons, said, “Residents of Ogwumogbo, Ikpele and  Ejima have all deserted their homes and fled into the forest.” The lawmaker representing Agatu State Constituency in the Benue State House of Assembly, Godwin Edoh,  confirmed Saturday’s attack to journalists on the phone on Sunday. “It is true; these attackers invaded three communities of Ogwumogbo, Ikpele and Ejima on Saturday between 12 pm and 4 pm and they sacked the people. Eight people were killed in this latest attack and several people are still missing. “Despite all our efforts, the killings have persisted. No one is coming to our aid and the governor is quiet. I do not understand this,” the lawmaker said. But when contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene, said, “I do not have this report.”

Source: Punch