Suspected Fulani Herdsmen Kill 12 in Benue

Police Headquarters

by: George Okoh

No fewer than 17 persons have been reportedly killed  in Akough village in Guma  Local Government Area of the state by suspected Fulani mercenaries.

According to an eyewitness,the herdsmen also destroyed Akough  market, where some person were also killed

The bandits attacked the village three days ago at the early hours of the day,  burning down houses and huts, leaving several persons dead while many sustained varing degrees of injuries.

According to the source, “they attacked the village at the bank of the River Benue which is bordering both Benue And Nasarawa states shooting sporadically and burning down houses and huts.

“From there, they moved to the Akough market which resulted into a stampede and in the mist of the confusion they opened fire on those they found at the market, killing and maiming their victims.

“At the end of the operation which lasted close to nine hours, over 12 persons were killed while many sustained injuries.

“The heavily armed herdsmen did not stop there, they went further to set the market ablaze after which they beat a retreated to their canoes and moved back to Nasarawa State.

“But as they left, they took one of the natives captive, and since then, they’ve been using the cellphone of their captive to communicate to the community, threatening to stage another round of bloody attack on the community in no distant time.”

“As I speak with you people are moving out from the community in droves for fear of being caught in a fresh onslaught.

“At the moment hundreds of people who are fleeing the besieged village have taken refuge in Gbajimba the local government headquarters and the situation is a sorry sight,” he stated.

Attempts to reach the Guma local government council Chairman, Hon. Usa Adii failed but the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP, Daniel Ezeala, said the Police had beefed up security in the community adding however that the command had recorded only four deaths in the attack.