The Benue State government is alleging that suspected fulani bandits are responsible for the Thursday attack that led to the killing of a family of six in Abagana community opposite the IDP camp in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
Abagana is a sprawling community in Makurdi, along the Makurdi-Abuja road, housing thousands of people displaced from their ancestral lands and are living in the IDP camp set up by the State Government.
The bandits who did not even come with herds of cattle were armed to the teeth killed several other persons in sight leaving trails of blood, the government said in a statement by Gov. Samuel Ortom’s media aide, Mr. Nathaniel Ikyur.
So far, eight corpses including women and children have been recovered while several others seriously injured were evacuated to hospital for treatment.
Some of the bodies were beheaded and their heads taken away by the bandits.
Special Adviser on Security Mattters to the Benue State Governor, Lt. Col Paul Hemba, rtd who confirmed this said security personnel and other villagers have been combing the bushes for more victims who were said to have been shot by the invaders.
He said the attack was unprovoked as the villagers were already set to go to bed when they met their untimely deaths in the hands of the Fulani bandits.
According to the Security Adviser, the casualty figure may likely rise as some other persons who were fatally shot and wounded may not survive the injuries in their chest.
The Security Adviser gave the names of those killed as Gbashaor Acho, Gbashaor Joseph, Anshe Dekera, Ancho Kpor, Eunice Gbashaor, Sewuese Gbashaor, Terlumun Ajoh, Emberga Gbashaor and Donald Gbashaor.
He further disclosed that two of those killed were IDPs while the bandits stole two motorcycles belonging to the villagers