By Citizenship Newspaper
Not fewer than 38 persons have been reportedly killed, seven others seriously injured and two persons kidnapped in fresh attacks on four communities in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State.
A source who pleaded anonymity said 20 persons were killed in Aondona community, seven others in Ahume, five in Tyolaha while 6 persons were killed in Orbiam community, two others kidnapped near military base in the local government area respectively.
The source also said that the armed attackers first attacked Aondona town yesterday at about 4pm and continued today at Ahume and a Military Base at Orbiam and Tyolaha.
“I can categorically confirm to you that 20 persons were killed in Aondona, five in Tyolaha, seven killed in Ahume and 6 others were killed in Orbiam at the Military Base which is just three Kilometers away from Naka town, while seven people were injured with two others kidnapped.
“The local government council in collaboration with stakeholders in Nagi set up a search and rescue operation team. So far, the search and rescue team has recovered six corpses this morning(Monday), while the injured ones have been evacuated to general hospital Naka for medical attention.
“As I speak with you, our people have fled all the communities in the affected areas. The whole communities have been deserted and taken over by herders. We can no longer go to farms, children have stopped going to school, while markets and churches have been shutdown due to the activities of these terrorists occupying our communities. Government must do something, they must act fast to stop these incessant killings in Benue State particularly in Gwer West”, the source said.
The Executive Chairman of GwerWest Local Government Council, Mr. Victor Ormin, confirmed the incident, saying that only yesterday, he buried five persons.
Victor said when he confronted the military on why they are adamant to engage the armed attackers, they told him they were yet to receive directive from higher authorities to engage them.
“Only yesterday, I buried five people, fathers, children and when I confronted the military to engage the killers of my people, they told me that they are waiting for directive from higher authorities.
“So, until my people are all killed before the federal government would give directives to military personnel before engaging these people.
“They are claiming that they don’t have the mandate to engage these people, that it is only the federal government that can give them the mandate to engage these people. So, my people should all be killed before federal government would talk about it; what is the meaning of this?
“Yesterday I buried a father and two of his children of over 40 to 50 years of age in Tse- Orbiam, very close to a military base. What is the meaning of this?
“If they cannot help me, maybe I will leave this chairman seat and let it continue the way it is. I don’t care of being a chairman of a people that are all killed. Look at a child of two years old butchered with cutlass.
“A Mobile police officer, identified as Magaji was killed yesterday. He had dedicated his whole life to service, he is always at that junction along Naka road whether he had bullets or not. Yesterday when they came, they said he finished his ammunition and was scouting for people to leave and Magaji was killed yesterday. This is genocide.
“More than 20 people were killed in Aondona village. This is a village of former First Lady of this state, Mrs. Eunice Ortom. This is the village of Tor Gwer, this is the village of Bishop of Makurdi catholic diocese Bishop Chirkpa Anagbe. This is taking too much to condole and I can tell you, whatever will happen, will happen. Thank you”, Ormin said angrily
Recall that a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Solomon Atongo, was reportedly shot by suspected herdsmen on Saturday evening along the Makurdi-Naka road in Benue state.
According to a statement by Rev. Joseph Beba, Chairman of the Diocesan Priests, Rev. Atongo was attacked while returning from Naka, the headquarters of Gwer West Local Government Area.
Rev. Atongo serves as the priest in charge of St. John’s Quasi Parish, Jimba. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition following the attack.
The Catholic Diocese of Makurdi has since called for prayers for the wounded priest as doctors battle to save his life.
As at the time of filing this report, the Benue State Police Command is yet to confirm the incident. All efforts to get confirmation from the Benue State command police public relations officer CSP Catherine Anene failed as she could not respond to text or calls.
