By Emmanuel Kwada
At least 33 people are feared dead following coordinated attacks by suspected herdsmen on Gwer West and Apa Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Benue State on Sunday evening.
The assaults, which began around 7pm, also left several residents missing and others displaced as communities commenced headcounts on Monday.
In Tse-Antswam, Naka town, the headquarters of Gwer West LGA, 17 bodies were recovered after gunmen stormed the area near the LGEA primary school, close to the Federal Government Dam project.
Seventeen corpses have been recovered so far, and a headcount is ongoing. Many are displaced and seeking refuge at the primary school, where police and vigilantes are providing security
Community leader Patrick Modoom confirmed the casualty figures to Channels Television, noting that many residents remain unaccounted for. “Seventeen corpses have been recovered so far, and a headcount is ongoing. Many are displaced and seeking refuge at the primary school, where police and vigilantes are providing security,” Modoom said.
He lamented the lack of response from a nearby military checkpoint, stating, “The attack happened close to the checkpoint, but no military assistance arrived, leaving our people vulnerable.”
Gwer West, with 15 political council wards, has seen 14 wards affected by herdsmen attacks, with Naka town previously considered a safe haven until this latest assault.
The attack happened close to the checkpoint, but no military assistance arrived, leaving our people vulnerable
In neighboring Apa LGA, 16 people were killed in Edikwu and Ankpali communities, according to Abu Umoru, the lawmaker representing Apa State Constituency in the Benue State House of Assembly. “Sixteen persons have been confirmed killed, but many are still missing,” Umoru reported.
The attacks follow the kidnapping of 14 female traders on Saturday along Owukpa road. The traders, traveling in a Benue Link bus from a market in Enugu State, remain missing.
Sixteen persons have been confirmed killed, but many are still missing
The Benue State Police Command has yet to issue a statement on the incidents. The attacks highlight ongoing security challenges in the region, with residents calling for urgent intervention to protect vulnerable communities.
