Benue residents flee, as armed men kill 10

Residents of the Iwili community in Umogidi Ward and Entekpa community all in Adoka District of Otukpo Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state have fled the community following invasion of the community by armed men.

The yet to be identified armed men killed at least 10 persons in a fresh attack.

A source in the area said that the attacks left several persons injured while the affected villages have been deserted by the locals who fled for fear of being killed.

According to him, the armed herdsmen initially stormed the villages Saturday afternoon from Agatu LGA and were resisted by the youths of the communities.

He said, “They came from Agatu which they have been attacking since the beginning of the year. They came through Upaha in Apa LGA and accessed Iwili community in Umuogidi from where they also stormed Entekpa.

“After being resisted by the youths of the communities, they retreated and later remobilised and staged a comeback in the evening during which they sacked the community and killed over 10 persons while several others sustained injuries.

“As we speak the corpses of those killed have not been retrieved because the armed herdsmen have occupied the villages.

“Though the youths of the community are trying to put up a resistance but they are handicapped because they are armed with dane guns but the herdsmen are carrying sophisticated weapons.

“We gathered that security personnel have been sent to the communities but the youths have vowed that Adoka will not fall into the hands of Fulani herdsmen. There is mounting tension in Adoka and Otukpo as we speak.”