Gunmen suspected to be armed herders on Wednesday attacked another community in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State killing several people.
Fifteen corpses were reportedly recovered from the affected Ugboju community and several people reportedly missing.
Wednesday’s attack was the fourth in the past three weeks of the armed herders renewed attack on the council area.
Communities, such as Ogwumogbo, Ikpele, Okokolo and Ejima were previously attacked with about 25 people, among them, three security personnel killed.
The latest attack, according to a native, who identified himself as Oche, told newsmen occurred on Wednesday evening with 15 corpses already recovered.
Former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mike Inalegwu, who confirmed the attack on the Ugboju community said that several people were killed and many others including children were missing.
According to him, “The incident happened in the evening yesterday (Wednesday) when people were engaged in social activities. The armed herders surrounded the Ugboju community from different places and attacked the people.
“The armed herders were just shooting sporadically while people were running helter skelter. When they were done in Ugboju they moved to the deserted Okokolo and burnt down many houses.
“We have buried nine people in my community this morning.”
Also confirming the attack in a text message on Thursday, a member of the House of Assembly representing Agatu State Constituency, Godwin Edoh, said that the armed herders attacked the Ugboju community.
He said, “No response from any quarter. Instead another village in Agatu North called Ugboju Omaga was attacked on Wednesday where 15 people were killed
“Our cry to the government and other security agencies for aid has fallen on deaf ears so we are just left at the mercy of God.
“What have my people done to this government in the state and at the federal level? I totally condemn this attack on innocent people of Agatu by these armed herdsmen who are bent on taking over and occupying our ancestral home by force.”
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Catherine Anene, said she was yet to receive information about the incident from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Agatu.
“Let’s wait for the DPO, I will confirm from him. As we speak there are so many police teams in Agatu who were deployed there,” Anene said.
