How killer herdsmen roasted alive over 100 Benue residents

Details have emerged on how suspected killer herdsmen carried out early Saturday morning attack on Yelewata community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.

The attackers in the nocturnal raid were said to have trapped and burnt alive the victims in their sleep.

During the deadly attack, scores of residents were killed and property destroyed in a coordinated assault by the suspected armed herdsmen.

It was gathered that the attackers invaded the town in the early hours of the day, splitting into three groups to penetrate Yelewata from multiple directions.

They reportedly began their assault on the town through Tse Ate, a track leading to Agugu Igbaakombo, and another path behind the community’s market square.

Residents, who spoke at the scene of the attack, said the marauders fired sporadically in turns to confuse and divide local security efforts.

Attempts by youths and police personnel to resist the attackers proved abortive as they were overwhelmed by the large numbers and tactical approach of the killer herdsmen.

Media and Publicity Officer for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) unit in Benue State, Comrade Joseph Apahar Joo, revealed in a statement that the third group of attackers, who entered through the rear, targeted shops where many residents were sleeping.

“Those who tried to escape were chased and killed. Others couldn’t come out because the attackers had already sprayed fuel on the doors before setting the buildings ablaze,” the statement said.

The marauders razed shops and homes in the attack, burning victims alive alongside farm produce and stored food items.

The Yelewata community, known for its early resistance against violent invasions in Benue, had never experienced an attack of this magnitude, according to residents.