No fewer than 8 persons including women and children were reportedly killed in a renewed attack by suspected armed herdsmen, on Yelewata village in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
The attackers reportedly abducted a villager and left two others injured.
Chairman of Guma Local Council, Caleb Abah who confirmed the attack while speaking with newsmen on phone, said the suspected herdsmen invaded the Yelewata Market at about 6 pm on Tuesday when traders were about to close.
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“On that fateful day, the armed Fulani herdsmen stormed Yelewata Market and started shooting sporadically where the people were busy buying and selling their goods and equally conducting local bam(local contribution).
“In the process, the armed herders killed eight persons, injured two others, and abducted one person,” Caleb said.
The whereabouts of the abducted persons is still unknown while the injured persons have been evacuated to a private hospital in Makurdi and receiving treatment.
A resident of the area, Jonah Tersoo, who gave an insight into the attack said a woman along with her four children were killed in the single attack.
Meanwhile, authorities of the military operation in Benue State, code-named Operation Whirl Stroke OPWS, have confirmed the attack, saying six persons were killed and three others injured.
When contacted, the Benue State Command Police Public Relation, Sewuse Anene, confirmed the incident, saying unknown gunmen at about 7:45 pm attacked the community.
Anene however stated that the gunmen had killed two persons they met in the first house they entered and the police were able to repel them.
“Six people were conveyed to the hospital and confirmed dead on arrival, while two were receiving treatment.
“We want to assure the people of the Yelewata community that we will continue to support them in providing security just like the one we did yesterday and if not for the police, it could have been worse than this,” Anene added.
(Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu)
