Fulani Herdsmen In Army Uniform Kill 22 In Benue, 10 In Kogi

No fewer than 22 have been killed by herdsmen, who were said to be in military uniform, during an attacked on Saghev Ward of Guma local government area of Benue State on Friday and Saturday.

Guma, the local government area of State Governor Samuel Ortom, and Logo have, since January, been under sustained attack by murdering herdsmen.

Lately, Gwer West, Ukum and Makurdi local government areas have also suffered attacks from the herdsmen.

Communities attacked by the invading herdsmen, who were said to be in military uniform, include Tse-Abi, Tse-Ginde, Tse-Peviv, Tse-Ikyo, Agenke and Gbenke, Sunday Sun gathered.

The attack occurred between Friday night and Saturday morning, was said to have left several people injured and many houses burnt in the affected communities.

In another development, the police in Lokoja on Sunday confirmed the death of 10 persons when gunmen invaded Kpanche community in Bassa Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Ali Janga, told NAN that the dead included five residents of the community while five of the armed bandits were killed during a cross fire with security agents.

He said that the bandits invaded the sleepy agrarian community in the early hours of Sunday but they were quickly repelled by a combined team of policemen and soldiers.

“Yes, five lives were lost in the village but operatives of the police mobile force and soldiers repelled them and succeeded in killing five bandits and recovered some weapons.

“So far, normalcy has been restored in the area,” Janga said in response to a message sent to him on the incident.

According to him, five houses and unspecified number of vehicles, tricycles, motorcycles and other properties were set ablaze by the bandits.

He said that security agents would remain on ground in Kpanche while full investigation into the incident had commenced.