10 Feared Killed in Benue State Community Attack

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A coordinated attack by suspected armed herdsmen on communities in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State has left at least 10 people feared dead and several others injured. The attack occurred in Mbazun Mbaterem communities, including Tse Yawe, Ikpuu (Kpuu), Ter Ukum Orkaa Kaave and Tse Kyaave.

However, the Benue State Police Command confirmed three deaths and four injuries in the attack. The Command, in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, DSP Peter Aondongu, said the incident occurred at about 7am at Aboajo Village, Mbateren Mbazum Council Ward, Ukum LGA.

But sources in the affected communities claimed that the casualty figure could be higher, with about 10 persons allegedly killed in what they described as coordinated attacks. A local farmer, who identified himself simply as Mbaane, alleged that more than 300 armed men entered the area from the Wukari axis of neighbouring Taraba State.

Governor Hyacinth Alia commended security agencies for their intervention and assured residents that his administration would continue to support efforts to protect lives and property across the state. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the governor said suspected terrorists 'masquerading as herdsmen' had invaded and attacked residents of Mbaterem in Ayaba, Ikpur, Yina, Aboajio and Ukpen communities of Mbazun Ward.

And the governor warned against attempts to frustrate the peace process in the state, declaring: 'Benue lands for Benue people. Anyone who thinks attacking us will intimidate us to leave the land is making a mistake.' He added: 'I took an oath to protect our people, and I will not relent.'

So, the governor directed security agencies to maintain their presence in strategic areas across the state and confront what he described as 'enemies of the state' bent on undermining peace. He assured residents that his administration would not relent in efforts to secure communities as security personnel continued operations to track down those responsible for the attacks.

The post 10 feared killed in Benue state community attack first appeared on Vanguard News.

In other news, the state government has been cracking down on unregistered schools in recent years, a trend that has seen several schools shut down across the state. The move is aimed at ensuring that only registered and qualified schools operate in the state.

'Benue lands for Benue people. Anyone who thinks attacking us will intimidate us to leave the land is making a mistake,' the governor declared.

The state government has also been advancing a lot of support from the Federal Government to tackle these acts of terrorism in the state. The governor urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements to security agencies, stressing that timely information was crucial to preventing attacks.

The attacks reportedly affected several communities in Mbazun Ward, with residents fleeing their homes amid fears of further attacks. Reacting to the incident, Governor Alia condoled with the families of those killed and sympathised with the injured, while assuring security agencies of the state government's support to protect residents.

So, the governor assured residents that his administration would not relent in efforts to secure communities as security personnel continued operations to track down those responsible for the attacks, and he directed security agencies to maintain their presence in strategic areas across the state and confront what he described as 'enemies of the state' bent on undermining peace.

In recent years, Benue has seen a rise in attacks by suspected herdsmen, with several communities affected. The state government has been working to improve security in the state, but the attacks continue to raise concerns.

As at the time of filing this report, security agencies were still in the area, maintaining the peace and searching for any other perpetrators.

'The effort of the army helped to save the lives of many,' said a local resident who witnessed the attack.

The state government has also been cracking down on unregistered schools in recent years, a trend that has seen several schools shut down across the state. The move is aimed at ensuring that only registered and qualified schools operate in the state.

The single-most important thing a reader needs to understand is that the number of casualties might be higher than reported, based on claims from affected communities.

A local farmer, who identified himself simply as Mbaane, alleged that more than 300 armed men entered the area from the Wukari axis of neighbouring Taraba State. He said the attackers invaded the communities at about 6:30am and moved from one settlement to another, shooting at residents.

In another development, Governor Alia has urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious movements to the authorities. He said timely information was crucial in preventing such attacks.

In recent years, the state government has been working to improve security in Benue, but the attacks continue to raise concerns. The government has also been cracking down on unregistered schools, a trend that has seen several schools shut down across the state.

The governor's administration has also advanced a lot of support from the Federal Government to tackle these acts of terrorism in the state. He assured residents that his administration would not relent in efforts to secure communities as security personnel continued operations to track down those responsible for the attacks.

The state government has been working to improve security in Benue, and has advanced a lot of support from the Federal Government to tackle these acts of terrorism in the state.

So, the governor urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements to security agencies, stressing that timely information was crucial to preventing attacks.

The post first appeared on Vanguard News.

In another development, the governor assured residents that his administration would not relent in efforts to secure communities as security personnel continued operations to track down those responsible for the attacks.

The state government has also been working to crack down on unregistered schools across the state, a move that has seen several schools shut down.

'Benue lands for Benue people. Anyone who thinks attacking us will intimidate us to leave the land is making a mistake,' Alia declared.

According to sources, the attackers invaded the communities at about 6:30am and moved from one settlement to another, shooting at residents.

The single-most important thing a reader needs to understand is that the number of casualties might be higher than reported, based on claims from affected communities and a local farmer who alleged more than 300 armed men entered the area from the Wukari axis of neighbouring Taraba State.

The state government has been working to improve security in Benue in recent years, a move aimed at addressing the rising attacks by suspected herdsmen.

However, the attacks continue to raise concerns, and the governor's administration has advanced a lot of support from the Federal Government to tackle these acts of terrorism in the state. He assured residents that his administration would not relent in efforts to secure communities as security personnel continued operations to track down those responsible for the attacks.

The post 10 feared killed in Benue state community attack first appeared on Vanguard News.

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