Suspected Herders Kill 11 In Benue

No fewer than 11 people were killed in the early hours of Sunday in a renewed attack by suspected herders at Igama communty in the Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State.

Sources around the area said that no building is standing in the community as the invaders burnt down all the houses.

“The people who are Fulani herdsmen stormed Igama village at the wee hours of today (Sunday) and directed their attack on youths in the community.

“They allowed the elderly, children and women to run away while they descended on younger ones, as am talking to you, eleven young men were killed,” a resident who did not want to be mentioned told our corresondent on the phone.

The LG chairman, Mrs Amina Audu, confirmed the attack but said nine corpses had been recovered and brought to council headquarters, Okpoga as of the time she spoke to our correspondent on the phone around 4:22pm on Sunday.

She said, “I had the report that the Fulani herders stormed Igama communty between 4:00 am and 6:00 am today (Sunday).

“As am talking to you now, am in the police station at Okpoga, three corpses have been brought from the community and people from the area just told me that they are on their way coming with another six corpses to be taken to mortuary.

Audu added, “The attackers were said to have left women, children and elderly to run away but attacked and killed youths in the community. So also, they burnt down all the houses in the community.

When contacted, the state Command spokesperson, Catherine Anene, a Superintendent of Police confirmed the attack but said the command had yet to get details.

“The incident is confirmed but the command is yet to receive details from officers who went to the scene,” Anene said in a message.