Armed herders who invaded Tse Ngojov and Tse Valem Yaweh villages in Mbagum, Tombo communities in Benue through neighbouring states have reportedly killed six persons while 12 others sustained severe injuries.
In the fresh attack, the marauders invaded the community from neighbouring Taraba state late Wednesday night on motorbikes when the people were about to go to bed Tse Ngojov and Tse Valem Yaweh villages in Mbagum, Tombo Council Ward of Logo Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state.
NigeriaCrime.com learned that the attackers came on motorbikes at about 9 pm shooting sporadically at the people who were about to go to bed after the day’s farming activities. Six people were killed and many others sustained injuries. After the attack, the invaders withdrew and fled to a neighbouring community in Taraba state.”
Confirming the development, the Chairman of the LGA, Mrs. Salome Tor who listed the names of those killed, said six persons were murdered by the armed herders while 12 others sustained severe injuries.
She said: “The attack which occurred at about 9 pm was unprovoked. The corpses of those killed and those injured were moved to the health facility at Ayilamo which is the closest town to the attacked community.
“It is sad because our people went to their farms all day and after having their night meals and were about to go to bed the armed herders stormed the village and started shooting and hacking them with a machete.
“Some of the attackers were spotted by the people and recognised as herders. And there is a town that is located near Logo LGA before you get to Ayilamo. The name of the town is Akwana. The town is under Taraba state and it is a Muslim/Fulani settlement.
“Some of our boys who went out to find out what was happening when they heard the gunshots trailed the bandits who were returning after the attack, to that community. They saw them clearly but they were handicapped and could not do anything. They hid and returned home.
“As we speak the people are fleeing the community to neighboring Ayilamo town. I have reported the matter to the Security Adviser to the Governor and the police and also sent the pictures of those killed and injured to the Adviser.”
The Security Adviser to the Governor, Lt. Col. Paul Hemba(retd) who also confirmed the attack, said Governor Samuel Ortom had directed that those killed be buried while the injured 12 be moved to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, BSUTH, for treatment.
The Benue State Police Commissioner, Mr. Wale Abass who confirmed the attack said he was yet to receive a detailed report from the Divisional Police Officer for Logo LGA.
In a related attack, two people were killed by suspected herdsmen who attacked Kyungwa Tombo Ward, near the Ayilamo community in the Logo Local Government Area of Benue State on Monday.
According to the Chairman of the local government area, Agber Terse, who identified the deceased as; Bem Uhembe and Mungwa Zuzu.
“The deceased were returning from their farm around 5 pm on Monday when they were attacked by herders, adding that their corpse had been deposited at Ayilamo mortuary.
He stated that the deceased were all from Tse Ibor village, just as he alleged that the settlement was taken over by suspected herders.
The Chairman blamed militant herders for the killing of the duo occasioned by the consistent invasion of Tombo ward, a farming settlement, which had been under sustained attacks by gunmen suspected to be herders since 2016.