Suspected Herdsmen Kill Four In Benue …As Soldiers Crush Three Bandits

Four persons were killed and seven others injured in a renewed attack by suspected Fulani herdsmen, last Friday night at Tse Angbande, a suburb of Makurdi, the capital city of Benue State.

The incident, according to locals, happened around 11pm, and a family was almost wiped out in the attack.

A local who simply identified himself as Ityavya said an elderly man identified as Emberga Akwa; his brother, Innocent Akwa; son, Terhemba Akwa; and an in-law known as Orban were killed in the attack.

The injured include a wife to the murdered son, Veronica Akwa; a nursing mother who was hit in the leg, and Ephraim Akwa, amongst others.

At the time our correspondent visited the village, people have deserted the area while apprehension has gripped the nearby villagers in Adaka community, all in Makurdi Local Government Area.

Friday night attack came barely four days after suspected herdsmen killed a man and his wife at Adaka in Makurdi before they were repelled by troops of Operation Whirl Stroke who killed three of them.

The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, who visited the scene of the attack, yesterday morning alongside the state Commissioner of Police, Mukkadas Garba, condemned the barbaric act.

Ortom, who condoled the families of the deceased, assured the people that security had been beefed up to ensure 24 hours vigilance in the affected area to prevent a recurrence, adding that the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of the state must continue.

The governor also visited victims of herders’ attack at the hospital, yesterday.

The victims, who escaped the attack, were receiving treatment at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi.

Ortom, addressing newsmen during the visit, said the state government would take over the treatment of those injured and are being treated.

He acknowledged President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to security agencies to tackle terrorists operating in the country.

The governor stressed that his administration would not relent until herdsmen attacks on his people end.

Three suspected armed bandits were shot dead at Adaka community in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State following a gun battle with the troops of the joint military spike operation code named Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS).

The incident happened at Adake, on Makurdi–Naka-Adoka Road, just five kilometres away from Makurdi.

The armed bandits stormed Adaka settlement, a suburb of Makurdi, the state capital and shot sporadically into the air to scare away inhabitants.

In the melee that ensured, they robbed members of the community of their belongings.

Luck, however, ran out of them as a distress call was put across to the military personnel who were on their vehicle patrolling the area.

The OPWS engaged the bandits and three of them were shot dead while others fled into the bush.

Three AK-47 were also recovered from the bandits.

Reacting on the incident, Commander of OPWS, Major General Adeyemi Yekini said his patrol team had an encounter with some armed bandits around Adaka community.

“Our troops are on top of the situation and will do everything possible with other security agencies on ground to protect the people,” Yekini said.