Tragedy Strikes: Suspected Herders Claim Four Lives In Benue Village Rampage

Tragedy Strikes: Suspected Herders Claim Four Lives In Benue Village Rampage

In a devastating turn of events, the tranquil village of Imana in Ikobi Council Ward, Apa Local Government Area of Benue State, has been plunged into mourning as suspected herders launched a brutal assault, resulting in the tragic loss of four lives and leaving two others critically wounded…..READ ALSO Tragedy Strikes: Gunmen Slay Nine Travellers In Katsina Ambush

Imana village elder, Atule Amodu, recounted the harrowing incident to the Daily Trust on Friday, February 16, 2024, revealing that armed assailants, believed to be herders, descended upon the community under the cover of darkness on Wednesday night, catching the residents off guard.

“They (armed herders) killed four persons and injured one. They invaded the people there. The people are surrounded by hills. That was how they took them unawares and began to kill them. The attackers are armed herders,” Amodu lamented, depicting the brutal and senseless nature of the attack.

The tragic aftermath of the assault has left the village gripped by grief and fear, compounded by the stark reality of food scarcity due to the disruption of farming activities. “This year if you come to our place there is hunger because we can no longer go to farm. Our wives are now going about looking for food,” Amodu shared, highlighting the dire consequences of the violence on the community’s livelihood.

Chairman of the Apa Development Association, Barrister Eche Akpoko, echoed the somber confirmation of the attack, revealing that four lifeless bodies have been recovered from the scene, further underscoring the severity of the tragedy.

However, despite the gravity of the situation, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, SP Catherine Anene, expressed unawareness of the incident, raising concerns about the coordination of law enforcement response to such incidents of violence and bloodshed in the region.