No fewer than 18 persons including women and children have been reportedly killed, while many others sustained severe injuries in a fresh attack by suspected armed herdsmen in the Iye community in Uvir Council Ward of Guma Local Government Area, of Benue state.
The attackers were said to have beheaded some of the victims and also burnt the remains of several others including their homes and food barns.
A native of the community who lost a brother in the attack, confirmed to Vanguard on condition of anonymity that the attackers stormed the village on Sunday evening at about 6pm which was a market day in the community.
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He said, “Fulani herdsmen attacked Iye community around 6pm on Sunday. They killed over 18 people, including my brother. They also injured several others, and burnt down many houses including some of the victims. The attack occurred on Iye market day, when people were busy trading.
“This attack is unfortunate because we were displaced from our village, Tse-Orvihi, Uvir Council Ward of the same Guma LGA and my family members took refuge at Iye, where they now came and killed my brother yesterday.”
Confirming the development, the Security Secretary of Guma LGA, Mr. Christopher Waku said the attack occurred between 6pm and 7pm.
He said “18 people were killed in the attack at Iye village which is not far from the JS Tarka University in Makurdi.”
The Benue State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Julius Alawari who also confirmed the attack said seven corpses had been recovered from the scene of the attack.
According to the Police Commissioner, “a combined team of Operation Whirl Stroke, the Police, and the Volunteer Guards confronted and repelled them. One of the attackers was also killed.”
