By Sunday Ogli, Makurdi
No fewer than ten persons have been reportedly killed by suspected armed herdsmen at Iwili community in Umogidi Ward and Entekpa community in Entekpa Ward, all in Adoka District of Otukpo Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state.
A source in the area disclosed that the attacks which took place on Saturday, left several persons injured while the affected villages have been deserted by the locals who fled for fear of being killed.
According to the source, the armed herdsmen initially stormed the villages from Agatu LGA and were resisted by the youths of the communities.
He said: “They came from Agatu which they have been attacking since the beginning of the year. They came through Opaha in Apa LGA and accessed Iwili community in Umuogidi from where they also stormed Entekpa.”
“After being resisted by the youths of the communities, they retreated and later remobilised and staged a comeback in the evening during which they sacked the community and killed over 10 persons while several others sustained injuries.
“As we speak the corpses of those killed have not been retrieved because the armed herdsmen have occupied the villages.
“Though the youths of the community are trying to put up a resistance, they are handicapped because they are armed with dane guns but the herdsmen are carrying sophisticated weapons.
“We gathered that security personnel have been sent to the communities but the youths have vowed that Adoka will not fall into the hands of Fulani herdsmen. There is mounting tension in Adoka and Otukpo as we speak”, he added.
Efforts to reach the Caretaker Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Council, Alfred Oketa were unsuccessful.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Superintendent of Police, SP, Catherine Anene said she was yet to receive information on the incident.
