Some suspected Fulani Herdsmen on Tuesday night attacked Gbeji and Tswarev communities in Ukum and Logo council areas of Benue State, killing no fewer than 11 persons.
The names of those killed, according to community sources, include Mtserkyaa lgbugh; Kananfa Amarfu; Tyavyar Akau; Orfega Hiikyaa; Kanyitor Uor; a suspected unidentified septuagenarian among others.
An eyewitness told The Guardian that several houses were torched and property worth millions of naira destroyed.
Speaking to the news outlet, two residents of Gbeji, Abraham Ngyenev and Abraham Azawe, disclosed that the attack began at about 6p.m. when the herdsmen invaded their farms and destroyed crops for over three hours.
In the same vein, it was gathered that three other persons were attacked and killed by nomads in some settlements in Tswarev, Logo Local Council, while injuring scores. The two council areas border each other.
In Logo, the affected communities were Channel One, Orveren and Ajura villages where Tor Imbor; Aondowua Mnyor and Msugh Ajura were feared dead in addition to several injuries and burning of houses by the assailants.
Meanwhile, Governor Samuel Ortom has described the attacks as an extension of the terrorism perpetrated by Boko Haram.
He spoke yesterday in Makurdi while reacting to the renewed mayhem in parts of the state.
The governor stated that the manner in which the armed men invade the communities and slaughter innocent people was not different from the “mindless acts” of Boko Haram in the North East.
He said: “They come with sophisticated weapons and kill people. Machete and chase them away.”
Ortom said equally disturbing was the pattern of attacks whereby the armed militias occupy communities after killing and sacking the inhabitants.
He went on: “In some cases, they do not have the herds. They just come with their weapons, kill and chase the people out and take over the land and that is the worrisome part of it.”
While in Jandeikyula village of Wukari local government area of Taraba state, no less than 25 persons have been killed in fresh attacks by suspected herdsmen.
Witnesses told TheCable that the suspects stormed the village around 7pm on Wednesday.
A resident who identified himself as Victor said that the attackers who were over 200 took the villagers unaware, adding that many houses were set ablaze in the attack.
In his own narration, Adi Grace, chairman of the local government, confirmed the attack to reporters but said he could not give casualty figures.
“Many people were killed in the attack. As I am speaking with you now, I don’t have the casualty figure until when I am back from the village because I am on my way there now,” he said.
Commenting on the attack, Luka Agbo, former chairman of the Wukari Youths of Vision, said: “It is true that Jandeikyula village was attacked night and from the reports we are getting, over thirty people were killed.”
“The series of attacks in the state now make us to be living in fear because we can no longer go to bed with our two eyes closed.”