MAKURDI , NIGERIA—Over 100 persons, mostly women, children and
the elderly, were feared killed early Sunday morning in
villages and refugee camps located at Ukura, Gafa, Per and
Tse-Gusa in Logo Local Government Area of Benue State, in
one of the bloodiest attacks on Benue communities by
suspected Fulani herdsmen.
The areas, which until the latest onslaught, hosted most
refugees from previous attacks by the herdsmen, is where
the home town of Governor Gabriel Suswam is located.
Vanguard learned from a reliable source that some of the
attackers dressed in military uniform, stormed the affected
villages in large numbers and after sacking the
communities, matched into the camps and opened
sustained fire on the helpless refugees.
He said: “What happened was like a war situation where
people were killed like animals, irrespective of their ages
and gender. This is, indeed, a sad day for the people of
Benue State.
“At the moment, a mass burial is taking place for the over
100 victims whose bodies have so far been recovered.
“Most of them were women, children and the elderly, and
they are decomposing already.
“Search for more bodies is still ongoing in the area, because
so many persons are still missing and unaccounted for.”
Govt confirms killings
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Gabriel Suswam
on Media Affairs, Mr. Joseph Anawa, confirmed the
incident.
He said: “Indeed, over 100 people were killed last Sunday
morning when heavily armed suspected Fulani herdsmen,
some of whom were dressed in military uniform, stormed the
communities from Kente in neighbouring Taraba State.
“They attacked the villages and refugee camps at Ukura,
Gafa, Per and Tse-Gusa, where they began shooting
indiscriminately at the people at 4a.m. and continued till
10.30a.m.
“As we speak, the communities have been sacked, hundreds
of houses, huts, farmland and property worth millions of
naira have been destroyed and the inhabitants and survivors
have all fled their homes and the communities.”
Neighbours flee
Vanguard further learned that the development had sparked
a mass movement of thousands of people, who are fleeing
their communities for fear of being attacked and killed by
the marauding herdsmen.
Reacting to the development, the paramount ruler of the
area, Tor Sankera, Chief Terkura Suswam, who described
the attack as unfortunate and condemnable, said he was
collaborating with other traditional rulers in the area and the
Fulani herdsmen to find a lasting solutions to the problem.
Commenting on the attack, the Police Commissioner,
Hyacinth Dagala, said four persons were confirmed killed
and that some people were speculating that over 20 to 25
persons were killed.
Dagala, who appealed for calm, said a detachment of
policemen had been dispatched to Logo to maintain peace,
adding further that calm had returned to affected areas.
[hupso]
