Gunmen had again attacked Umuogidi community in Otukpo Local Government area of Benue state and killed 46 persons including a policeman.
As at Friday evening, the police said eight dead bodies had been recovered including that of a police officer.
According to a source, the incident occurred on Wednesday evening the 5th of April 2023.
Recalled that on the 3rd of March2023 three persons were killed in the same community on Tuesday, April 3, 2023
The Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area,, Bako Ejeh, who confirmed the attack on Thursday, lamented that he lost his 32-year-old son, nephew, and brother-in-law to the Wednesday attack.
According to Ejeh, “You know that these herders killed three people on Tuesday, and they herders came back on Wednesay at at about 4:15 pm and killed 46 people, including my son, who was 32 years we just buried him and some other persons are still missing.“
Among the people killed was my immediate younger sister’s husband and her second son, who was almost 38 years old.
The herdsmen came back and invaded the village again at about 4:15 pm yesterday and 46 persons including my own son.“We just buried his copse and some other people are still missing. We don’t know their whereabouts.
“My immediate younger sister, same mother and father, they killed her husband, killed her second son of about 38 years old.”The Special Adviser to Governor Samuel Ortom on Security Matters, Lt. Col. Paul Hemba (rtd) also confirmed the attack saying 46 person have been recovered and more could have been killed as some members of the community have not been found.
I can confirm to you that there was an attack in Umogidi and as at this morning, the causality figure from those who were seen physically from what I was told were 46 so far and other people are still missing so the figure could rise higher than that.“
The unfortunate thing is the local government chairman is from that community and his 33-year-old son is also a victim. It’s a very tragic and painful incident”.
The Special Adviser noted that he would be visiting the While stating that the herdsmen have consistently attacked that axis from Apa and Agatu LGAs in the last one month without provocations, Hemba said”.
“Sometimes they cause a lot of destructions, damages to property and even to farmers in the area.”He noted that the place is a bit calm at the moment as Police have been deployed and soldiers sent there to assist.“.
I spoke to the Brigade Commander, 401 Special Forces Brigade, he sent soldiers and they are there. So the security situation, for now, is calm,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Benue State Police command has also confirmed the attack saying eight persons have been killed in company of the state Deputy Governor, Benson Abounu, to ascertain the level of damage in the community.
“My immediate younger sister, same mother and father, they killed her husband, killed her second son of about 38 years old.”The Special Adviser to Governor Samuel Ortom on Security Matters, Lt. Col. Paul Hemba (rtd) also confirmed the attack saying 46 person have been recovered and more could have been killed as some members of the community have not been found.
