Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen militia has attacked Ukohol and three other villages in Guma Local Government Area of Benue state and killed 18 persons.
The Chairman of the local government, Michael Uba, who confirmed this to newsmen in a telephone chat, on Friday said 10 persons were killed in the market while the other eight were killed in three other villages.
The gunmen who appeared in black attire appeared before the marketers and in a commando style, began to shoot sporadically at innocent marketers.
Uba narrated that “Around 4 to 5pm, My people at Ukohol were attacked by armed herders and killed about 10 people. The worst of it all is that they even killed children below the age of two years.
“They didn’t stop at that point but went to three other villages/settlements around and killed another eight making it a total of 18; 10 at the market, eight in the villages when they were running back.”
While noting that the casualties would have been more, Uba said the security operatives were prompt in responding to their call and that saved the day.
“If they delayed, the causality would have been more than that. It was a market day, they went there and started shooting.
“What is happening now is that they are trying to destabilise people from their village and settlements and occupy them and graze in the night.
“They appeared in black attires. No villages is spared and the whole 10 council wards in Guma are affected,” said.
When Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Benue state command, SP Catherine Anene confirmed the incident saying she was yet to get details.
