Herdsmen Clashes claims lives #Nigeria

No fewer than 36 persons were, yesterday,
feared killed while seven villages were overrun by
suspected Fulani herdsmen in an outbreak of
fighting between the invaders and native farmers
in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.
The massacre came barely two days after some
assailants struck at Ikpele and Okpopolo
communities in the state, killing seven farmers
and displacing over 6,000 inhabitants.
Sunday Vanguard gathered, at the time of this
report, that heavy fighting was still going on
between the warring parties who only recently
engaged in bloodletting.
A native of one of the affected communities, who
escaped the assault, narrated that "they (Fulani
herdsmen) took us unawares this time; they
invaded our villages from Loco in Nasarawa State
and Omola Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The victim told Sunday Vanguard in Makurdi,
Benue State capital, yesterday, "But as I speak to
you, well over 36 persons must have been killed
on our own side while many are still missing; the
situation on ground is horrible because fighting is
still going on while women, children and the
elderly are fleeing to safety."
When contacted, the Benue State Commissioner
for Works and Transport, John Ngbede, who is
an indigene of the area, confirmed the massacre.
'Boiling'
Ngbede said, "Heavy fighting is still going on in
Agatu. The attackers are burning down houses,
farmlands, economic trees and many are also
being killed but i cannot confirm the number of
deaths. All I can say is that Agatu is boiling".
Member representing Agatu Constituency at the
Benue State House of Assembly, Sule Audu, also
confirmed that seven villages had been attacked
while many were killed and several persons
missing.
According to him, the villages under siege include
Ello, Okpagabi, Ogwule-Ankpa, Ogbangede,
Ekwo, Enogaje and Okpanchenyi.
While lamenting inadequate security presence on
ground in the affected communities, the
lawmaker said, "As I speak to you, only few
soldiers are on ground who don't even have
mobility to match the strength of the invaders.
The attackers are over 5,000 spread across all the
communities and unleashing terror on my people
without resistance.