Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen have killed not fewer than 19 persons in the early hours of Monday in some communities in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to reports, some of the communities attacked were Tse Amgbem, Udam near Aondoana, and Agbanu Seghev/Ukuse all in Gwer West LGA.
An indigene, who claimed to have escaped the attack, Terna Abende, said that the attackers came through Akpachi in Otukpo Local Government Area to attack Tse Amgbem.
Abenda said: “About 5am Monday, the attackers stormed Tse Amgbem and Udam near the Aondoana community and killed several people, with several others injured.
“The attackers who are suspected to be Fulani herdsmen also burnt down houses.”
Reports also has it that the suspected herdsmen had earlier on Sunday ambushed some motorcyclists at separate areas on Naka Nagi Agagbe and Naka/Makurdi roads killing six persons.
While confirming the attacks, the Chairperson of Gwer West LGA, Mrs Grace Igbabon, said eighteen people were killed in three separate attacks in the council area between Sunday and Monday.
“We had about six persons yesterday (Sunday) and 13 people today.
“I was told that the attackers were suspected Fulani herdsmen who attacked the Mbamodu community and killed 13 people and several others injured. The attackers burnt down several houses in the community.
“Other incidents happened on Sunday at the other side of Mbachon; some motorcyclists were riding on the road and they saw a man in military uniform who flagged them down.
“I was told that in the process of slowing down, another set of people who possibly had laid ambush came out from the bush and shot at them, four of them died and one later escaped.
“Also along Naka/Makurdi Road on Sunday, they (suspected herdsmen) killed two others.
The Police Public Relations Officer of Benue State Command, DSP Catherine Anene, who confirmed that she only heard about the attack on some communities near Aondoana in the local government, said she does not have the details yet.
