SUSPECTED
Fulani herdsmen numbering about 70 on Sunday
slaughtered 95 people, mostly women and children in
Egba, Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State. A survivor,
who gave his name simply as Oche, told Punch that the herdmen arrived the village between
5am and 6am and started attacking them in their houses.
Oche did not
give the number of those wounded but he claimed to have seen 80 dead bodies
being evacuated by security operatives and volunteers.
He
said,“They came with arrows, locally-made guns and knives when most of us were
still asleep and started killing us . It was a very bad day for us. I believe
that those killed are between 95 and 100 as I counted up to 80 bodies being
taken away by people in uniform.”
“Most of
those slaughtered were women, children and the aged. Almost all the houses in
the community were razed by the attackers.”
But
the state Police Commissioner, Hyacinth Dagala, who
confirmed the attacks, said records before him showed
that 30 people had been confirmed dead .
He added
that he had already directed the Area Commander to ensure that adequate
security was provided in the area.
A lawmaker
representing Apa/Agatu in the state House of Assembly, Audu Sule,
said that over 60 bodies were evacuated from the village.
The
lawmaker, who said the survivors were now taking refuge in Obagaji/Ogbalu, the
headquarters of Agatu LGA, claimed that the herdsmen escaped to Nasarawa State
after the attack.
The Benue
State Peoples Democratic Party deputy governorship
candidate, John Ngbede, said that the
Federal Government needed to station troops in communities in the state prone
to attacks by herdsmen.
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