The Nigerie Police Command in Makurdi, the Benue State capital has confirmed that three persons have been killed in a fresh attack on Yelewata, a border community in Guma Local Government Area (LGA), Benue State.
Three local farmers “who had earlier gone to their farms at the outskirts of the village” were injured in the attack, which occurred in the early hours of Monday, August 11, DSP. Udeme Edet, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), for the command said in a statement.
We earlier reported that Mike Ajah, who survived the attack, named those killed in the attack as Mr. Peter Shinku, Mrs. Youga Udeji and Mr. Tyoalumun Anyam.
According to DSP Edet, “the bandits were eventually repelled and they fled with gunshot injuries,” following a response from the police tactical teams and other security agents on the ground.
The Commissioner of Police, Benue State Police Command, CP. Emenari Ifeanyi, in commiserating with family members and friends of the deceased, pledged “his commitment to continually fight criminality in the area.”
Earlier in the day, there was protest from women of the community, calling for the pull-out of Nigerian soldiers as they questioned their commitment to ending destruction of farms and killings by the militant wing of cattle owners in the area.
Cattle are still grazing on fields while farms about a kilometre from the town remain inaccessible, James Ayangaor (name has been changed), told TNT at Yelewata on Sunday, August 10.
Federal troops stationed in the community don’t take action, even when invasion of fields are reported, locals say, praising men of the Mobile Force, Nigeria Police, for their efforts.
