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Gunmen killed at least 8 persons in a repeated attack on Thursday 19 January 2023 at about 2100hrs in Abagana community opposite the Internally Displaced Person camp routed along Makurdi/Laafia lane, Benue State.
Information available indicates that the attack took the life of a family of six, and another two persons were beheaded.
An eyewitness told newsmen that eight other persons were seriously injured and were evacuated to a hospital for treatment.
“Some of the victims were beheaded and their heads taken away. The bushes are still being combed in search of more victims.
“A man, his wife and four children were all wiped out in the attack.
“The casualty figure may likely rise as three other persons were fatally shot and may not survive the injuries to their chests,’’ the eyewitness said.
When contacted, the police spokesman in Benue, SP Sewuese Anene confirmed the attack, adding that the casualty figure has yet to be ascertained.
Anene said the police had deployed personnel to the scene to forestall further attacks.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Abagana is a sprawling community in Makurdi, the State capital of Benue, along Makurdi-Abuja road, housing thousands of people displaced from their ancestral lands and are living in the IDP camp set up by the State Government.
“The bandits did not even come with herds of cattle. They were armed to the teeth. So far, eight corpses including women and children have been recovered while several others seriously injured were evacuated to hospital for treatment.
“Some of the bodies were beheaded and their heads taken away by the bandits.,” Nathaniel Ikyur, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Samuel Ortom disclosed in a statement.
Special Adviser on Security Mattters to the Benue State Governor, Lt. Col Paul Hemba, rtd who confirmed this said security personnel and other villagers have been combing the bushes for more victims who were said to have been shot by the invaders.
He said the attack was unprovoked as the villagers were already set to go to bed when they met their untimely deaths in the hands of the Fulani bandits.
According to the Security Adviser, the casualty figure may likely rise as some other persons who were fatally shot and wounded may not survive the injuries in their chest.
The Security Adviser gave the names of those killed as Gbashaor Acho, Gbashaor Joseph, Anshe Dekera, Ancho Kpor, Eunice Gbashaor, Sewuese Gbashaor, Terlumun Ajoh, Emberga Gbashaor and Donald Gbashaor.
He further disclosed that two of those killed were IDPs while the bandits stole two motorcycles belonging to the villagers.