Suspected herdsmen have killed 16 persons during an attack on Ebete community in Agatu local government area of Benue State.
The herders were said to have attacked the community 1am on Wednesday, opening fire on residents and setting houses ablaze.
Adeyemi Yekini, force commander, Operation Whirl Stroke, an army task force outfit, confirmed the attack but was unable to give the number of casualties.
โI received a report this afternoon that some people were killed in Agatu by suspected armed bandits. I’m not sure of the number of casualty yet,โ he said in a statement.
However, the residents were reported to have said 16 persons were killed and two injured in the attack.
A witness, Daddy Seni, told newsmen that his father and siblings were among the deceased.
Yekini added in the statement that the army had sent a patrol team to the area where the incident happened.
Governor of the state, Samuel Ortom, also confirmed the incident, adding that he had raised an alarm earlier.
Chief Press Secretary to Ortom, lterver Akase, told journalists that the governor has met with the police over the incident.
โI can confirm that the Governor of Benue State met earlier today with the Commissioner of Police Bishi and he confirmed that there was attack in Ebete in Agatu earlier today in which 17 persons were killed by suspected armed herdsmen,โ he said.
โWe feel that this is unfortunate because the governor has raised an alarm that some persons for political reasons are planning to unleashed armed herdsmen on innocent Benue people, to create fear in the people for political gains.โ
