Bandits have claimed the lives of approximately 26 individuals in a series of renewed assaults across three distinct communities within the Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State.
Among the victims were six men of the state security forces identified as the ‘Benue State Community Volunteer Guards and Livestock Giards,’ who were deployed to provide security for a family conducting burial rites for their deceased loved one. As reported by local residents, the attacks occurred between Saturday and Monday, targeting the Mbakunwade and Jaora communities as well as along the Naka/Adoka road.
During Saturday’s incident, six operatives of the State Volunteer Guards and Livestock Guards were tragically killed, with an additional 14 individuals losing their lives on Sunday, followed by six more fatalities on Monday.
Henry Agba, the Chairman of Gwer West Loval Government Area, confirmed the incident on Tuesday, stating that 26 individuals lost their lives and numerous others sustained injuries.
He said, “The attack started on Saturday, six security operatives of the state, comprising Benue Security Community Volunteer Guards and Livestock Guards were killed”
”They (operatives) escorted the family of a deceased to a village called Mbakunwande where they had gone to bury the loved one, and they ambushed them and killed them.”
On Saturday at about 11 pm, they attacked a community in Jaroa, and 14 people were killed.
”Also on Monday, that was yesterday, they attacked a community along Naka/Adoka road where the villagers have so far recovered six dead bodies, and many people were injured and receiving treatment at the some clinics within the LGA.
Agba mentioned that the incidents had been reported to both the police and the state security adviser, Joseph Har, who personally visited one of the scenes of the incidents on Monday.