By Alimi Micheal
Benue State witnessed a devastating attack on Sunday evening as suspected armed herdsmen launched two separate assaults on communities in Agatu and Gwer West Local Government Areas, claiming the lives of at least 13 people.
In the first attack, 12 people were killed in an unprovoked assault on Egwuma village in Agatu LGA. In the second attack, one person was killed and another injured at Tse Iyo in Sengev Council Ward of Gwer West LGA, with five others reported missing.
Mr. Godwin Edoh, the lawmaker representing Agatu State Constituency, confirmed the attacks and expressed his dismay at the ceaseless violence perpetrated by armed herdsmen against his constituents.
He urged the government to take decisive action to put an end to the senseless killings and ensure the safety of the people.
He said “12 people were killed in the attack. We are tired and the problem is still there that is why I am complaining. Government has to be decisive about what to do about the area.
“The communities are so porous. Ogbumogbo, Ejima and all those areas down to Ikpele, those villages have been deserted for close to one year. So it is like a colony of herdsmen.
“What they do is that they come over with their cattle’s from morning and they stay there to graze until they want to go back.
“And they come back there any time because the people have left the villages and nothing is being done about it.”
In Gwer West, a youth leader and survivor of the Tse Iyo attack, Cheghza Igbasue, recounted a harrowing tale of narrow escape.
According to Igbasue, he and others were ambushed by the armed herdsmen while returning from the farm, leaving them to fight for their lives.
According to a source in the area, “the armed herders attacked and killed 30 year old Ikyumbu Aondowase while 45 years old Mr. Achin Terzungwe was badly wounded and taken to Naka the LGA headquarters for treatment.
“He explained that they were coming back from the farm to Agagbe through Tse Iorbogo, not knowing that the armed herders had laid ambush on the bad portion of the road and were waiting for who to killed.
“They started shooting as soon as they got close, Mr Ikyumbu Aondoawase was killed and Achin Terzungwe was badly wounded and five other people went missing after the attack.”
when contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Catherine Anene, confirmed receiving reports of the Agatu attack, which resulted in the tragic loss of five lives. However, she noted that details of the Gwer West attack were still pending and had not yet been received.”
