At least 11 persons were reportedly killed on Christmas Day when gunmen suspected to be herdsmen and Jukum militia attacked communities in Kwande Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue state.
Sources disclosed that the invaders stormed the communities shortly after the residents returned home from the Christmas Day church service and were preparing for the day’s celebrations when they came shooting sporadically and chasing the residents.
A former aide of the immediate past governor of the state who also hails from one of the affected communities, Solomon Amande, who confirmed the development, said he got the report of the incident from eyewitnesses in the area claiming the attack was allegedly carried out by a combined team of armed herdsmen and Jukum militia.
He stated that “I was briefed about what happened. I was told that given the relative peace for some time now in the communities, the people who deserted their homes due to the activities of armed herdsmen decided to go back home and reside in their communities.
“They settled in their communities and went about the normal activities. Unfortunately, yesterday (Wednesday), being Christmas Day, they went to church, and after returning home from the service, families were preparing meals, and some were gathering and relaxing at spots to celebrate Christmas when a combined team of armed herdsmen and Jukum militia started attacking from five different places.
“They were chasing people and shooting sporadically, and whoever they caught up with was killed. They did that till they got to Government Secondary School, Anwase.
“They killed about 10 people at Anwase in Mbaikyor Council Ward of Turan. And they also killed one person at Iyaav Council Ward, which is my Council Ward, around Tse Jam River Crossing.
“They carried out the killings in communities at the foot of the mountain. It was indeed a sad Christmas for our people.”
Amande, who confirmed that the matter had been reported to police, said, “In fact, there is a combined team of military personnel and police stationed at Jato-Aka, our immediate town. And it is expected that the recently launched state security team would also be on the ground because it is a crisis-prone area.”
Also, the President of Mzough U Tiv, MUT, MUT, worldwide, Chief Iorbee Ihagh, who is from Moon Council Ward, another deserted community in the LGA, confirmed that apart from the 11 dead victims, many others were reported missing and unaccounted for after the attack.
He said, “11 persons were killed, and many are still missing from the attack. The leaders of the affected communities have already reported the incident at the police station.”
Contacted, the adviser to the governor on internal security, Chief Joseph Har, said he was informed of the incident but could not provide further details.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent, SP, Catherine Anene, said she was yet to receive a report of the incident.
