42 killed in fresh attacks in Benue

At least 42 people have reportedly been killed in a renewed armed invasion on four communities in the Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State.

Residents said on Monday that seven people were severely injured while two others were kidnapped following the renewed attacks carried out by armed invaders in the Gwer West rural communities between Saturday and Sunday.

The residents said 20 people were killed in Aondona, 10 in Ahume, five in Tyolaha, and seven in Tse Orbiam communities of Gwer West LGA, bringing the total fatalities to 42, while two people were reportedly abducted during an incident in which a Catholic priest was shot near a military station in the area.

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The incident, according to the witnesses, has forced many of them to flee their homes as the attacks now become a daily occurrence.

A resident identified as Agatha told journalists via telephone that the attackers began their rampage around 5pm on Saturday in the Aondona community and continued into Sunday morning at Ahume village and the areas near Tse-Orbiam.

 “They killed women and even children as young as two years old,” Agatha said.

She added that, “A mobile policeman was also killed. People have deserted their homes. Naka Makurdi Road is no longer safe.”

She confirmed that a local search and rescue team recovered six more bodies on Monday morning, while the injured were taken to the General Hospital in Naka, the headquarters of Gwer West LGA.

“The attackers have taken over our communities. Farming, schooling, markets, and even churches have all shut down. The government must act now before it’s too late,” Agatha said.

Chairman of Gwer West LGA, Victor Ormin, confirmed the attacks and described the situation as genocide.

“This is not just an attack; this is genocide,” Ormin said during a telephone conversation with journalists in Makurdi.

“I buried five people on Sunday and five others were taken to the mortuary on Saturday. We have recovered 30 corpses. Now, we are talking about 40 or more people killed. This is genocide. Aondona was attacked Saturday evening, while Ahume was hit at 4am on Sunday. Tse-Orbiam, which is just three kilometers from a military checkpoint, was also attacked.”

He criticised the military’s inaction, saying they claimed not to have the mandate from the federal government to engage the attackers.

 Ormin added that a mobile policeman named Magaji, known for his dedication to duty, was killed during the attack after running out of ammunition.

Ormin explained that the attacked Aondona community is the hometown of prominent individuals, including former First Lady, Eunice Ortom, Tor Gwer, and the Bishop of Makurdi Catholic Diocese, Wilfred Anagbe.

Residents explained that the Gwer West LGA lies along the coastline of River Benue, bordering Agatu’s Fadama region and neighbouring Nasarawa State, an area which boasts of rich soil suitable for crop cultivation and abundant grasses that attract livestock rearing.

According to residents, the area’s fertile vegetation is the main reason attackers are forcefully displacing them to take over their land.

Spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, CSP Catherine Anene, confirmed the incident.

“The police responded when the case of Aondoana was reported and three bodies were recovered and investigation is ongoing. Note also that a police man died defending one of the villages just a few hours before this incident in Gwer West LGA,” Anene posited.