Pascal Arogorn Ibe
Barely twelve hours victims of herdsmen attack on Benue Internally Displaced Camp at Abegana were buried, suspected herdsmen again struck at nearby village and killed eight people including a traditional ruler.
The traditional ruler who was a kindred head of the village was said to have attended the burial of the herdsmen attack on the IDP camp on Friday only to be killed few hours after the suspected herdsmen invaded Tse Ancha of Agan community in Makurdi local government area of Benue State at the wee hours of Friday.
The Chairman of Makurdi local government, Anthony Dyegeh who narrated the incident to Tribune Online on the phone on Saturday adding that the herders invaded Tse Achan community at about 11:55 pm on Friday.
The council boss added that the village kindred head who had earlier on Friday accompanied him to the burial of the victims of the Abegana IDP camp was among the eight people killed in the wee hours attack on the village.
Dyegeh however said that the attackers had wanted to wipe destroy the village and neighbouring communities down to Makurdi but were repelled by some youths who were at a wake in nearby village.
According to the chairman, “the attack happened around 11:55 pm Friday and eight people were killed and five injured and they have been taken to Teaching Hospital among those killed is the kindred head of the village.
“The kindred head was among the people that accompanied me yesterday (Friday) to the burial of the seven people that were killed at Abagena IDP camp. We parted around 9.00 pm only for him to be killed at five minutes to midnight alongside others.
Speaking further, he said, ” the quick intervention of the youths of the community who mobilized and repelled the attackers saved the communities from being wiped out because they came in their numbers and were obviously out to kill more people, sack the community and march into neighboring villages.
“Luckily at the time of the attack, there was a wake keep at a nearby primary school on Makurdi-Lafia road, for a member of the Benue Livestock Guards who was killed within that same community at Tse Iyagwa village. And because they are displaced from the village the wake keep was held at a primary school.
When contacted, the State Police spokesperson, DSP, Catherine Anene in a terse message confirmed the attack.
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