Benue Easter attack: Death toll rises to 11 – Community leader

By Peter Duru

The death toll in Saturday morning’s armed herdsmen attack on Agena community, Mbalom, Gwer East Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue State has risen to 11 following the recovery of two more bodies from the community.

Nine corpses were initially recovered Sunday afternoon after that attack, which left one person injured while houses, food barns and market were razed, causing widespread destruction in the community.

A resident disclosed that the attackers, numbering over 50, invaded the community in what appeared to be a coordinated operation.

He stated that the people were fast asleep when the attackers sneaked into the community around 5am and began setting houses and the market ablaze and also opened fire on those they caught up with.

Speaking Monday on the situation in the area, a community mobiliser and leader, Christopher Gbasha, who was on the ground with the search team in the village, disclosed that “two more corpses have been discovered in the village to add to the number deposited in the mortuary, so we have 11 deaths now.

“There are no more casualties but the people are scared and have deserted the community. We have youths who are guarding the place. Women and children are out of the village for now for their safety.

“The State Government also sent the Benue State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, to the place to take record of the situation.

“They went there and did the documentation and took inventory of the destruction and I was there with them. The place is calm right now,” he added.

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