Family of six killed as bandits invade Benue community

At least eight people have been killed in an attack by suspected bandits on a community in Benue.

The bandits were said to have attacked the community opposite the internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp in Abagana, Makurdi, the Benue capital, on Thursday night.

In a statement shared with TheCable, Nathaniel Ikyur, chief press secretary, to Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue, said the eight persons killed include a familiar of six, adding that several persons were also injured in the attack.

“Abagana is a sprawling community in Makurdi, the state capital of Benue, along Makurdi-Abuja road housing thousands of people displaced from their ancestral lands and are living in the IDPs camp set up by the State government,” the statement reads.

“The bandits who did not even come with herds of cattle were armed to the teeth and killed several other persons in sight leaving trails of blood.

“So far, eight corpses including women and children have been recovered while several others seriously injured were evacuated to hospital for treatment.

“Some of the bodies were beheaded and their heads were taken away by the bandits.”

Ikyur quoted Paul Hemba, special adviser on security matters to Ortom, as saying that security personnel and other villagers were “combing the bushes for more victims who were said to have been shot by the invaders”.

According to Ikyur, Hemba said the “attack was unprovoked as the villagers were already set to go to bed when they met their untimely deaths in the hands of the Fulani bandits”.

He said the “casualty figure may likely rise as some other persons who were fatally shot and wounded may not survive the injuries in their chest”.

He listed the names of the victims as Gbashaor Acho, Gbashaor Joseph, Anshe Dekera, Ancho Kpor, Eunice Gbashaor, Sewuese Gbashaor, Terlumun Ajoh, Emberga Gbashaor, and Donald Gbashaor.

He added that “two of those killed were IDPs while the bandits stole two motorcycles belonging to the villagers.”

The development comes weeks after suspected bandits killed three persons during an attack on Adaka community of the Benue state.