Many feared killed in fresh Benue attack, seven corpses recovered

Several people were reportedly killed by armed men who invaded the Iwili community in Umogidi Ward and Entekpa community, all in Adoka District of Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State.

The attack on Umogidi came barely a year after gunmen invaded the community and killed many.

A legal practitioner from the local government, Ada Ocholi, told our correspondent that the armed men migrated from the Agatu axis to Otukpo LGA.

Ocholi said, “As of yesterday, four corpses were still in the bush and were yet to be recovered. I can’t say the number of corpses recovered so far because yesterday, I was in touch with our youth leader there.

“He told me that they just came back from the bush and there were so many of the armed men in the bush with military uniform, that some of them on top of trees with sophisticated weapons.”

Another source in the area disclosed that the attacks left several persons injured while the affected villages have been deserted by the locals who fled for fear of being killed.

The attacks commenced on Saturday and spread till Monday.

The local said, “They came from Agatu which they have been attacking since the beginning of the year. They came through Upaha in Apa LGA and accessed Iwili community in Umuogidi from where they also stormed Entekpa.”

The Chairman of Otukpo LGA, Alfred Omakwu, confirmed that seven dead bodies were recovered as of Tuesday afternoon, with the help of soldiers.

He added that the search to recover more bodies was ongoing with the assistance of military personnel.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Catherine Anene  said she was yet to receive information on the incident.

On Friday, several people were reportedly killed by suspected armed herders in the attack on communities in the Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State. https://Ezenwoko’s Blog/anger-as-gunmen-kill-15-in-benue-communities/

The member of the state House of Assembly representing the Agatu State Constituency, Godwin Edoh, lamented the endless attacks by suspected herders, expressing his frustrations that both the federal and state governments had not been able to stop the needless killings.

Several communities, such as Ogwumogbo, Ikpele, Okokolo and Ejima, had been attacked since the crisis broke out three weeks ago.

No fewer than 20 people, including three security personnel, were murdered in the previous attacks and residents of the affected communities had long fled.