At least 10 persons were yesterday reportedly killed by suspected herdsmen during a midnight attack on Tse Uoreleyev community of Mbabai Council Ward, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to sources from the area, the attackers stormed the village while the locals were sleeping outside as a result of the hot weather. They were said to have wasted no time in shooting in all directions.
And by the time the dust settled, 10 persons were left dead while a few others sustained injuries, which made many of the villagers seek refuge in other parts of the state for fear of another attack.
Chairman of Guma LGA, Anthony Shawon, who confirmed the attack, said the 10 victims were murdered in their sleep by assailants whom he insisted were Fulani herdsmen.
Shawon noted that the villagers recovered the corpses of the victims and had to bury them immediately because of the gruesome manner in which they were killed.
Although the council boss insisted the act was perpetrated by herdsmen, one of the villagers who confided in newsmen thought otherwise, saying Tse Uoreleyev does not share boundaries with either Nasarawa or Taraba states, where the herdsmen-farmers’ issue is very prevalent.
“Tse Uoreleyev, Mbabai Council Ward, is not in the border area, where we normally have security challenges. So, one wonders how herdsmen could have crossed to that point. If you trace the route used by the attackers, you would get to Tyodu village where there is a T-junction.
“From there, you would trek for about five kilometres up to River Guma, which is on a high ground that even humans have to struggle to cross. Across the river is a village called Tse Faasema, where the road is divided into two. If you go right, you would get to Umenger, but if you go left, you are heading to Gbajimba, headquarters of Guma LGA.
“Between Tse Faasema village and Gbajimba Town is a thickly forested area. So, whoever did the killing must have come from the forest area which has no boundary with Nasarawa or Taraba states,” the source said.
When contacted, commander of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), Major General Adeyemi Yekini, said he was yet to get details of what happened and could not comment on the matter at the time of filing this report.
“ I will brief you later, once I get more information, thanks,” Yekini said. – The Sun.
