At least 10 villagers were killed on Tuesday night when armed assailants struck the Ogbaulu community in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.
This marks the second assault on the Ogbaulu community this month, following a previous attack on May 4, 2024, which claimed three lives.
According to an eyewitness, one Abdullahi, who spoke to journalists in Makurdi, the attackers descended on Ogbaulu around 9 p.m., unleashing a hail of bullets that resulted in the deaths of 10 individuals, including an Igbo trader.
Abdullahi revealed that the assailants infiltrated Ogbaulu from the neighbouring community of Apa LGA to launch their deadly assault.
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“After the attack, soldiers arrived, and we ventured out to search for the victims’ bodies. By this afternoon, we had recovered nine bodies, in addition to the one found last night, bringing the total to 10,” Abdullahi said.
Yakubu Ochepo, the Council Chairman of Agatu LGA, provided further details, stating that as of Tuesday morning, four bodies had been recovered, with efforts ongoing to locate other missing individuals.
“While soldiers swiftly responded to the village during the night, I can confirm that there are casualties, with approximately four people confirmed dead. However, I am awaiting a final report,” Ochepo said.
He added, “The attackers were armed herders, and reports suggest that some indigenous people may have been involved. However, when we attempted to contact the phone numbers of those killed, it was individuals of Fulani descent who answered.
“As of now, OPWS (Operation Whirl Stroke) has deployed over 400 personnel to Agatu, with more than 100 soldiers stationed in Ogbaulu to prevent any further attacks,” he said.
Despite attempts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Catherine Anene, she remained unavailable for comment on the incident.
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