A family of five and six other persons have been reportedly killed by suspected armed herdsmen in their farms at Waya community in Jato-Aka of Turan council ward of Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.
The tragedy occurred on Thursday while the folks were working on their separate farms, but the hunt for their bodies began late that night, and as of Friday morning, 11 bodies had been recovered.
Villagers informed journalists that the deceased were silently hacked to death by armed herdsmen on their farms, and that many people only learned about the incident after family began raising concerns about the whereabouts of loved ones who went to the farms and did not return.
According to the residents, a search party for the missing people proceeded to numerous farms immediately, only to find dead bodies in various areas.
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“At this point, 11 bodies have been recovered. A whole family which included a man, his wife, and three children, including a toddler were found dead on one farm – while the remaining six people were found in other locations.
“At this time, a search for additional missing persons is still underway, and there are indications that more bodies will be recovered,” a villager stated.
Mrs. Tartor Chianson, the Chairman of Kwande LGA, confirmed the recovery of eight bodies before leaving the region for Makurdi to report the occurrence.
The slain victims have been deposited in the morgue, according to Chianson, who spoke to journalists by phone. Troops from Operation While Stroke (OPWS) are still combing the bush for more recoveries.
She added that determining the actual figure of causality was difficult at the present because there could be additional corpses in the bush as a result of missing people complaints from relatives.
“My people went to the farm on Thursday because it had rained on Wednesday night, so they went to prepare the land for planting,” says Chianson. “They were ambushed and killed in their farms in Waya, close to Anwase.”
“A few days ago, the assailants arrived and set a lot of houses on fire; they also kidnapped some other people, seized their machinery, and then brought their mutilated bodies and discarded them.” They are simply collecting our ancestral homes as I speak with you.
Mbachura, Kumakwagh, Yaav, Moon, and Mbaikyur are among the five council wards under siege.
“In the past three months, almost 50 people have died in the area,” the chairman added.
Source: Daily Trust.
