23 Farmers Killed In Fresh Attacks On Benue Communities

Not fewer than twenty-three (24) farmers have been killed across four local government areas of Benue State between Friday and Saturday in fresh attacks by armed men suspected to be bandits.

The affected four local government area include Logo, Kwande, Ukum and Guma.

Our correspondent gathered that the herders who invaded Jootar, a boundary community between Benue and Taraba States in the early hours of Saturday shot sporadically at anyone in sight where they killed eight farmers on the spot.

In a telephone interview with a local in the area who identified himself as Tornger Linus, it was reported that the victims were attacked on their way to their farms early in the morning.

According to Tornger, “The farmers were killed on their way to the farm. However, we have a boundary problem with Jukun, so we cannot outrightly say the killers were armed herders or the Jukun militia.”

Jootar is a border community between Taraba and Benue states which has been a flashpoint of conflict between the Tiv and Jukun ethnic groups and even, herders.

Tornger named the farmers killed in Jootar to include Jonathan Ordooga, Aondogu Torse, Cheater Torse,Yagba Torse,Tersugh Mbaaiiga, Terhemen Emmanuel, Henenshima Apirgwa and
Orfega Atuku.

In a similar incident, nine farmers were also killed in Logo while three other persons were killed in each of Kwande and Guma local government areas, bringing the total number of casualties to 23, while several others were missing.

Benue State Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, Mathew Abo confirmed the Jootar killings.

“I got a report from Ukum which is my LG, precisely Jootar that eight farmers who were on their way to their farms in the early hours of Saturday were killed,” Abo said.

The mobile telephone number of the State Police Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene was switched off when our correspondent called.