SIX people were reportedly killed and many others injured in an attack by suspected herdsmen on the Nagi community in Mbachohon Council Ward, Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State.
It was gathered that the suspected armed Fulani herders attempted to storm Naka, the headquarters of the council but the attack was repelled by military personnel deployed in the area.
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According to a source in the area, the herdsmen had made attempts to enter Naka town on Thursday afternoon, with the intention of killing many people. However, the military was alerted and chased the attackers away, but they retreated and killed six people, including a young boy, in Nagi village.
The attackers also injured several people and burnt down many houses, food barns and huts in the village, leading to the desertion of many villages on the Naka-Agagbe road.
The Chairman of Gwer West Local Government Area, Andrew Ayande, who confirmed the attack, said that armed Fulani herdsmen from Nasarawa State made attempts to attack the town.
Ayande confirmed that security agents went after the attackers and chased them to the Nagi community, where they fled and shot and killed anyone they met on the way.
He noted that the attackers entered the village and burned down several houses, including the traditional ruler’s house, and injured some people.
According to him, on Friday morning, two more corpses of young boys were found on the Naka-Agagbe road.
He explained that security agencies are still combing the communities to rescue survivors, recover corpses and ensure that the armed Fulani herders are no longer in the area.
The Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Paul Hemba, also confirmed the attack. He said that it was carried out by herdsmen and was an unprovoked attack on the community.
He added that the damage would have been more severe if not for the timely intervention of the military who chased the attackers away before they could cause more damage. The military has sent in reinforcements and the situation in the area has been stabilized, he added.
Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene, were unsuccessful.
The recent attack in Nagi community comes just 10 days after the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Gwer West Local Government Area, Mamud Abubakar, was killed in an ambush.
The attacks in Benue have left many people living in fear and several communities are deserted.
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