Bandits suspected to be herders have attacked Ayilamo and Mahanga communities in Logo local government area of Benue State, killing at least five people.
The incident took place at about 10 pm on Tuesday in the community when residents were asleep
A source in the community named the killed locals as Ayev Joguno (Mbavihi—Mbazar), Faiga Mwuese Apefan (a k.a. Sixteen Sixteen)(Mbazar) Msendoo Tertese Vaachia (Mbagum) James Mhen Nyerga Iorliam (Tse-Ihyôôn—Iwendyer) and Orgbee Mnguerorga (Tse-Nyajo—Mbaiwem)
Other individuals sustained various degrees of injuries in the attack and are currently receiving treatment in the hospital.
While reacting to the attack, the state government condemned the attack through the Chief press secretary to the governor Tersoo Kula.
Kula in a statement says “Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has utterly condemned the unprovoked attacks on Ayilamo and Mbachohon communities in Logo and Gwer-West Local Government Areas by suspected armed herders.
“Governor Alia frowns at the nefarious activities of the herders who maim and kill innocent Benue citizens in cold blood for reasons which are difficult to grasp and pin down.
He said Benue is an agrarian society whose economy is largely based on producing and maintaining crops and farmlands, “and we cannot watch our people killed daily on their farmlands and their villages for a cause very unknown to us.”
The Governor lamented cases of alleged herdsmen attacks on Benue communities leading to loss of lives and property, assuring that he would not rest until such evil acts are curtailed.
He called on the security agencies in the state to quickly delve into the depths of the unfortunate situations to apprehend those suspected to be behind such attacks and bring them before the law.
The police public relations officer in the state Catherine Annene, noted that the command was yet to get full details of the incident.
