Four people are said to have been slain by suspected gunmen on Friday, May 10, in the Mbachon and Mbagbe towns in Turan, Yaav Council Ward, Kwande local government area, Benue state.
Kwande is in Benue’s North East Senatorial Zone, and the two impacted communities are also close to the Taraba-Benue boundary.
The event occurred at 5 p.m., just as individuals were settling into their respective compounds.
“They stormed the two communities at about 5pm and opened fire on people, when the dust was down four persons were shot and killed,” according to Lawrence Akerigba, a member of the community.
Lawrence Akerigba informed The Nation that one of the victims had been evacuated for burial, three people were missing, and another had been taken away.
Kwande Local Government Area borders Taraba State and has been subjected to herdsmen assaults over the past 15 years.
He said: “In Moon district, Kwande Local Government area, the people have had no access to their land for 16 years as it has been completely overrun by herdsmen who have turned it into grazing for their animals.”
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Lawrence Akerigba said further: “The killings are happening now that farming activities have resumed, saying if nothing was done, it will disrupt farming activities now that rains have set in and appealed to security agencies to protect harmless farmers to return to their farm business so that hunger will not kill them.”
When contacted, the Benue Police Command stated that they had yet to receive the complaint of the killings.
