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From Scholastica Onyeka Makurdi
Barely 24 hours after herdsmen attacked and killed six people in Apa Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, another group of herdsmen, on Sunday evening, attacked Iye community in Guma LGA of the state, killing over 18 people and injuring several others.
The invaders also burnt down many houses in the community.
Reports from the area revealed that the 17 bodies burnt beyond recognition, including women and children, had been recovered. The report further suggested that the figures may likely rise as the search was still ongoing at the time of filing this report yesterday. The locals said the attack occurred on Iye market day when people were busy trading.
Confirming the incident, the Security Secretary, Guma LGA, Christopher Waku, said “18 people were killed at Iye village in Guma LGA yesterday between 6-7pm. The village is after the University of Agriculture, Makurdi.”
Meanwhile, the police in the state have also confirmed the attack. In a text message, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Catherine Anene, said “incident confirmed. Seven bodies were recovered and one of the attackers died during the attack.”
This is one in a series of similar attacks by armed herdsmen who have waged a relentless war against the people of Benue State. In the last two months, more than 300 people have been killed in Benue State as a result of herdsmen attacks.
