Tears, Anguish As Gunmen kill 39  In Separate attacks On Benue communities

Suspected Fulani herdsmen and local Militia believed to be loyalists  to the late terror gang leader in Benue State, Terwase Akwaza a.k.a Gana, on Thursday night, reportedly killed over 39 persons and abducted others in two separate attacks on some communities in Gwer West and Katsina-Ala Local Government Areas of Benue State.

Our correspondent gathered from a military source that 19 persons were killed by suspected Akwaza loyalists who attacked  Shikaan , Mbagena, Kpav communities all in Shitile area of Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of the state while the suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded Tinader village in Gwer West  Area of  the state killing 17 persons on the same night.

It was further gathered that the gunmen invaded Shikaan, Mbagena and Kpav communities of Shitile area in Katsina Ala local government area and shot sporadically killing several people and leaving others injured.

Similarly the suspected  armed herders launched attacked  on Tinader community on Makurdi-Naka Road on Thursday night killing 20 persons and abducting some others including a woman and her son who were traveling on the road at the time.

Efforts to speak with the chairman of Katsina-Ala local council, Alfred Atera to confirm the report of the attack on his council  prove abortive as he did not pick his calls at the time of this report.

However, Chairman of Gwer West Local Government council, Mrs. Grace Igba,  confirmed the attack on Tinader but disclosed that five bodies had  so far  recovered from the scene of the attack.

She maintained that whereabout of those abducted  by the gunmen was still unknown at the time of this report.

“Even this morning there was an exchange of fire between Herdsmen and villagers at Mbakpa village. One corpse has so far been recovered from the area,” Igba said.

Public Relations Officer (PPRO), for the state police command, DSP Catherine Anene, confirmed the attack  in Gwer West local government but said she was yet to be briefed on the latest Katsina-Ala attack.

A military source who did not want to be named said the Katsina-Ala killing was carried out by the local bandits but dispelled claims that 36 persons were killed saying the number of those killed was far less than that.

“It is true that some people were killed in some villages in Katsina-Ala local government  yesterday (on Thursday) but it (killing) was carried out  by the local bandits in the area.”

But the Force Commander of Operations Whirl Stroke (OPWS), Brig. Gen. Clement Apere could not be reached on phone at the time of this report.