23 K!lled in Fresh Attacks Across Benue Communities

 

At least 23 people, including farmers and villagers, have lost their lives in a series of coordinated attacks across several communities in Logo, Kwande, Ukum, and Guma Local Government Areas of Benue State.

Reports say that eight farmers were brutally hacked to d3ath early Saturday morning in Jootar, a community in Ukum LGA.

The victims had reportedly passed the night in the area and were attacked as they headed to their farms at dawn. Among those k!lled in Jootar were Joseph Sevav Yagba and his son Destiny, a 200-level student of Federal University Wukari.

“The farmers were k!lled on their way to the farm. But we cannot confirm whether the k!llers were armed herders or Jukun militia,” a source said.

Jootar, located along the border between Benue and Taraba states, has long been a hotspot for clashes between the Tiv and Jukun ethnic groups.

Just a day earlier on Friday, suspected armed herders invaded Ayilamo community in Logo LGA, leaving nine people d3ad.

There were also separate attacks in Kwande and Guma LGAs, where three people were k!lled in each area — bringing the total d3ath toll to 23.

The Benue State Commissioner for Information, Mathew Abo, confirmed the Jootar killings, but said he was yet to receive full reports from the other areas.

“The report I received is that eight farmers were k!lled in Jootar early Saturday morning on their way to the farm. The area is a border community between Tiv and Jukun, and there has been an ongoing crisis between the two groups. We cannot say for sure who was responsible,” he said.