A resident of Yelewata community in Guma local government area of Benue State, Mr. Desmond Adidi, has disclosed that his elder brother, Emmanuel, the wife and four children were among those killed in the night attack by gunmen in the area.
Yelewata is along the Lafia-Makurdi expressway, a few kilometers from Kadarako in Obi local government area of Nasarawa State.
In his account of the incident relayed to our correspondent, Mr. Adidi said most of people had gone to bed when the gunmen suspected to be Fulani herders stormed the community at about 11:pm, shooting sporadically.
“They divided themselves into two groups, and operated from different ends of the community. While members of one of the groups were setting houses ablaze, the others gunned down anyone who tried to escape,” he said.
He said his brother, the wife and children were sleeping when the house was set ablaze.
“None of them came out alive. Their remains were evacuated the next morning when security operatives arrived the scene,” he stated.
He said because of the incessant attacks, some community members spent their nights in shops, prayer houses and the primary school.
According to him, most of the shops in the market were burnt by the attackers along with their occupants.
He said he was lucky to have escaped death by the whiskers by maneuvering through a route to hide at the primary school.
He said more than 100 people were killed in the operation which lasted up to 2:am on Saturday.
Our correspondent learnt that the development resulted in the blockage of the ever busy highway by youths from other communities.
Alhaji Mohammed Liman who traveled the route from Lafia to Makurdi at about 9:am on Saturday told LEADERSHIP that there was a surge of displaced persons from the area up to Daudu community.
“Some were running and looking over their shoulders, others with luggage were waving frantically at vehicles driving by. We saw military and police personnel everywhere, while some displaced persons were directed to take shelter at a nearby primary school,” he added.
He said motorists who arrived the area had to turn back because of the crisis.
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