The death toll from Saturday morning’s attack by armed herdsmen on the Agena community in Mbalom, Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State, has risen to 11 following the recovery of two more bodies.
Nine corpses were initially recovered on Sunday afternoon after the attack, which left one person injured and resulted in the burning of houses, food barns, and the local market, causing widespread destruction.
A resident disclosed that more than 50 attackers invaded the community in what appeared to be a coordinated operation.
He stated that the residents were fast asleep when the attackers sneaked into the community around 5:00 AM. The invaders began setting houses and the market ablaze while opening fire on those they encountered.
Speaking on Monday regarding the situation, a community mobiliser and leader, Christopher Gbasha, who was on the ground with the search team, disclosed that two more corpses were discovered in the village.
This brings the total number of deceased individuals deposited in the mortuary to 11.
He added that there are no further casualties, but the people are scared and have deserted the community. Youths are currently guarding the area, while women and children have left the village for their safety.
The State Government dispatched the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to the scene to record the situation.
Gbasha noted that while the area is currently calm, the displacement remains a major concern.