Four men reportedly killed by Fulani herders in fresh attack in Benue

Suspected Fulani herders have attacked and killed four locals in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State on Sunday.

The same day, communal clashes in the Gwer East LG also claimed two, CAPITAL POST learnt late Monday.

Communal crises have been ravaging Gwer East Local Government for quite sometime now.

The casualties happened among the people of Mbakume and Mbasombo in the council area.

One of the locals, who identified himself as Donald, explained that the renewed crisis began last week, leading to the burning down of houses, adding that two persons were killed on Saturday.

Benue State Command spokesperson, Catherine Anene, confirmed the death of two persons in the renewed communal clash.

Anene said, “There are meetings going on. Their issue (communal clash) needs a roundtable talk; the people need to sit down and talk about it because it is a lingering crisis that has been going on

“There was a time the command talked to them and they even signed some things; so, what caused the renewed crisis is what the command needs to understand, but as of now, two persons were killed. But I don’t have the record of houses burnt.

In Gwer West, four persons were reportedly killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen in two council wards of the local government.

According to a native, the suspected herders simultaneously attacked Tse Shishim village and Tse Iber around Jimba and Ahumen settlement on Makurdi/ Naka/Anpka road as well as Mbaatan, Kunav in both Saghev-Ukusu and Sengev council ward of the local government area.

The native, who identified himself as Adamgbe, said the victims alongside two others had gone to the farm on Saturday to harvest food crops when they were attacked, adding that two people escaped.

Confirming the attack, Chairman of Gwer West LGA, Mrs Grace Igbabon, said the killings happened on Saturday and Sunday.

“Two of them ran and escaped narrowly while Terhemba Shishim (male) 35 years old was killed by the attackers.

“Similarly, yesterday (Sunday), armed Fulani militia again between the hours of 2 pm and 7 pm launched attacks on two villages in Gwer-West LGA and killed Teryila Agbe (male) 28 years and Torloko Adamu (male) 40 years,” the chairman said.

Meanwhile, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene, said she had yet to receive the report of herdsmen’s attack on Gwer West.

Recall that 19 people were earlier killed in Gwer West penultimate week.