Gunmen kill 3 in Benue community

Gunmen have reportedly killed three people in a fresh attack at Imaton village Square in Ukemberagya area of Gaambe-Tiev in Logo Local Government Area of Benue State.

Locals said that the incident happened at 9pm on Saturday.

They listed the names of the three young men killed in the attack by the armed invaders as Tertsea Terkimbi, Tertsea Mkposu and Mimi Umburga.

A community leader from the area, Chief Joseph Anawah, told our correspondent in Makurdi on telephone, that apart from the yesterday (Saturday)’s incident, there had been series of attacks on the people within the past two months.

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Anawah said that the spate of renewed attacks by armed invaders on the people of Gaambe-Tiev especially Ukemberagya communities in Logo LGA of the state had taken a different dimension with an alarming proportion.

He explained that, “The people are attacked on their farms, in their homes, waylaid and murdered on the roads. Recently, on Saturday 3/9/23 at about 11am when one Monday Hembaku of Chembe village was accosted and killed on his cassava farm by the invaders.

His corpse is still lying at NKST Anyiin mourge.

“Five days later on Friday 29/9/23 at about 2pm two women from the same village (Chembe) Mrs Iember Ornguga and Dinnah Chembe were macheted and badly wounded by Fulani marauders when they went to fetch fire wood. They were rushed to a medical facility by operatives of Operation Whirl Stroke stationed at Arufu a nearby settlement where they are recuperating.

“Another attack took place on Wednesday 11/10/23 around 9am at Iorza along Tse Abiem road where two young men – Mbaadega Vihimga and Chuku Gaku – who went to buy fish at Zebo Market near River Benue were waylaid on their way back by invaders who inflicted them with various degrees of injuries. They are now receiving treatment at a medical facility at Iorza.

“Then yesterday Saturday 14/10/23 at about 9pm The three young men (Tertsea Terkimbi Adagundu, Tertsea Mkposu and Mimidoo Umburga) were killed by the invaders at Imatom village Square near Chembe, Ukemberagya, Logo LGA. Their corpses has been deposited at NKST hospital mourge Anyiin.”

He worried that the renewed attacks and killing without any alleged provocation are aimed at displacing the peasant farmers in order to pave way for cattle to graze on their crops which are yet to be harvested.

Anawah therefore appealed to the state and federal governments to as a matter of urgency deploy security to secure the area, emphasising that if security are stationed at Chembe village, Iorza settlement and Jootar village it would go a long way in providing security for the people.

Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Catherine Anene, told our correspondent on telephone that she had yet to receive any such information from Logo.