Blood Flows Again In Benue, 27 Slaughtered

27 people were feared dead in the early hours of Tuesday morning in Benue.

A brutal attack which took place in the Agena village of Mbaalom, in the District of Gwer-East local government of Benue state, Central Nigeria, was attributed to a suspected herdsmen’s militia who have been linked to a series of attacks in the state over the past two years.

Survivors and eyewitnesses told SaharaReporters that the invaders launched the attack on the community at around 5am, with the sound of gunfire coming from their blazing guns waking many.

“Some of us even don’t know how we escaped (with our lives) because nobody here knew where the shots were coming from. We were just running in all directions (to get away,”) one source had said.

At the Federal Medical Centre Makurdi, about 12 bodies were brought-in by the police some hours afterwards. Sources said some of the bodies were discovered with fresh bullet wounds, and assembled at the village.

Daniel Ezeala Sp, the Makurdi Commands Police spokesperson, confirmed the early morning attack on the village, but insisted that police saw only 7 bodies.

The village remains tense, and for good reason. For over two weeks, hardly a day has passed without an attack on the natives in Benue by suspected herdsmen and their militia.

It is the same group of herdsmen, our sources say, who local police seem powerless to stop, or apprehend.