Gunmen Kill 13 in Benue Communities

By George Okoh

Gunmen on Tuesday attacked Torkula and Udei villages in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State killing 13 persons.

The attacks came days after two aid workers were killed by suspected herdsmen in Guma village.

A resident of Torkula village disclosed that a bus loaded with some mourners who were returning from a burial at Umenger was attacked by gunmen around Torkula village, resulting in the death of three persons, while two others who sustained gunshot injuries, are currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Makurdi.

A three-month-old baby was also killed in the attack, while his mother, who was shot on her lap, survived.

In a separate attack on Tuesday night, Udei community was raided by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen which resulted in the death of eight persons.

Confirming the attacks, the Chairman of Guma Local Government Area, Caleb Aba, said 13 persons were killed in the two separate attacks on Udei and Torkula communities.

“It is true that there was an attack yesterday. There was a burial in Torkula and people who were coming back from the burial came under attack and about five people were killed.

“At about 10 pm yesterday, there was another attack at Branch Ude where about eight people were killed, totalling about 13 people.

“Two people were injured by the information I received and they are now receiving treatment in the hospital,” Aba stated.

When contacted, the spokeswoman of the state Police Command, DSP Catherine Anene, said she was yet to be briefed on the attack and promised to call back as soon as she received any information.

As at the time of filing this report, she had not done so.