11 killed in Benue clashes

Eleven people were reportedly killed in separate attacks on villages in two local government areas of Benue State between Thursday and yesterday.

Our correspondent gathered that five people were killed in Uhur of Guma Local Government Area on Thursday and three herders were killed on the Benue/Nasarawa boundary while three others were burnt to death in Mbakunu village in Shangev-ya Kwande Local Government Area of the state yesterday morning.

Residents alleged that the Kwande attackers were hired by a community in Cross River State. They said the attackers wounded many people, some now receiving treatment in different hospitals while youths who resisted the attacks killed three of them.

The chairman of Kwande Local Government Area, Tersuwa Yarkwan, told newsmen in Makurdi that the fight in his area was on two fronts, including the crisis in communities with boundaries with Taraba and Cross River states, noting that the timely intervention of the military checked an escalation.

He said the military arrested one of the attackers from Cross River.

The chairman of Guma LGA, Anthony Shawon, said five people were killed in his area by suspected herders, adding that more attacks were going on at the time of compiling this report yesterday.

“Right now, the neighbouring Torkula village is under attack but the army has reinforced to the place,” he said.

The Secretary of Myetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Benue State, Ibrahim Galma, said suspected members of the Tiv community at the boundary with Nasarawa State allegedly killed three herders between Monday and Wednesday.

Galma said the attackers also made away with their motorcycles and that several meetings had been held with security agencies to halt reprisals.

The police spokesman in Benue, DSP Catherine Anene, said she was yet to get any report on the Guma attacks while confirming that of Kwande. She said in Kwande, there were no deaths but injured victims were receiving treatment in hospitals.