By Peter Duru, Makurdi
A farmer has been reportedly beheaded while four others were hacked to death in a fresh attack by suspected armed herdsmen on Tse-Apera, Nzorov, Governor Samuel Ortom’s home town in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
Vanguard gathered from a source in the area who simply gave his name as Shagbaor that the invaders stormed the village from neighboring Nasarawa state at about 5 am on Sunday shooting sporadically to wake the people from sleep.
According to him, “they came shooting sporadically in the village at about 5 am when majority of the people were asleep. The sound of the gunfire created pandemonium in the village. People woke up from sleep and were running in different directions but some hide in their houses and refused to come out.
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“The attackers who were speaking in their Fulani language started knocking on people’s doors and where they refused to come out the doors were broken down and the occupants shot or hacked to death.
“Strangely, they did not burn down the village, after killing four of our people and beheading another they left many injured, looted whatever farm produce they saw after which they withdrew and returned to neighboring Nasarawa state,” Shagbaor added.
In his account, Chairman of Guma LGA, Mr. Caleb Abah said he received reports of the attack adding that three persons were killed while one of the victims was beheaded by the armed herdsmen.
Abah said, “The attack happened around 5 am on Sunday, the herdsmen invaded the village (Tse Apera) and shot at the people that came out. For those who did not come out, they were dragged out and shot. They killed two on the spot and one of them was beheaded while eight others were injured.
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“Six of the injured were taken to Benue State University Teaching Hospital, BSUTH in Makurdi and two to General Hospital in Gbamjimba but one of the injured persons that was taken to BSUTH died Monday morning.”
Speaking to Journalists on the matter, the Benue state Chairman of Miyetti Allah Breeders Association, MACBAN, Rosku Mohammed denied knowledge of the incident
“I cannot deny that it happened or not but I want to work with the state government. As a leader, there is no religion that encourages the killing of human beings. We should learn to follow due process and not take the laws into our hands. The matter should be investigated,” Rosku added.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent, DSP, Catherine Anene who confirmed the attack said the Command had a record of two deaths and five injured victims in the attack.
