Armed men suspected to be marauding herdsmen have killed forty-two42 farmers, including a mobile police officer, in coordinated and simultaneous attacks on Aondona, Ahume, Tyolaha, and Tse Ubiam communities in Gwer-West Local Government area of Benue State.
This is even as the Police Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene, who confirmed the killings in a statement, said a police officer was also killed in the attack.
Her words, “Note also that a police man died defending one of the villages just a few hours before this incident in Gwer-West Local Government Area.”
A local source who identified himself as Terhemba told our correspondent on condition of anonymity that the herders invaded the community on Saturday night and Sunday, shooting sporadically at anyone in sight, killing a Police officer alongside 41 others on the spot.
According to him, “the attacks claimed the lives of pregnant women, the aged, children as young as two years were also among the dead, while several people were injured with scores still missing.
Another local who identifies himself as Iorver said the Saturday attacks on Tyolaha and Tse Ubiam claimed the lives of twelve farmers.
He said, “An attack on Ahume and Aondona happened on Sunday, and over 10 people were killed in Ahume, while 20 were killed in Aondona.”
Our correspondent gathered that many residents from the attacked communities are fleeing to Naka, the Gwer West headquarters, and Makurdi, the State capital, for safety.
It was also gathered that the Council chairman, Victor Ormin, in collaboration with stakeholders in Nagi, launched a search and rescue operation. So far, 42 corpses have been recovered between Sunday and Monday morning.
Our correspondent reports that the Aondona community is the hometown of the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, His Lordship, Most Rev. Wilfred Anagbe, and the immediate past First Lady of Benue State, Eunice Ortom.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, Chairman Ominn described the attacks as “a clear case of genocide.”
“It’s a pathetic situation. As we speak, we are still recovering corpses. Over 30 bodies have been recovered between Sunday and Monday.
“Tse Ubiam was attacked on Saturday, just three kilometres from Naka and near a military checkpoint. I buried five people yesterday, and five others were taken to the mortuary on Saturday. We are now talking about over 40 deaths. This is genocide.”
He alleged that although soldiers were stationed in parts of the council, they failed to act to stop the attackers.
“The soldiers said they don’t have the mandate to act unless fired upon. They told me even the governor doesn’t have the authority to give them orders; only the President can. It’s clear that these soldiers are not incompetent, from all indications. They are just waiting for orders that have not come.”
He also disclosed that a mobile police officer, identified as Magaji, was among those killed.
“This officer was dedicated to duty. He was always stationed at that junction on Naka road. On Sunday, he reportedly ran out of ammunition and was urging residents to flee. Unfortunately, he was killed. This is genocide,”
