Nigeria: Three killed in Benue attack
By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria
Tension has gripped Yelwata community in Benue State after suspected armed herders launched a deadly attack, killing three people and injuring three others on Monday morning. The incident triggered a protest by local women, who blocked the federal highway from Makurdi to Abuja with the corpses of the victims, demanding action from the authorities.
The attack occurred around 7 am on Monday, with eyewitnesses reporting sporadic gunshots.
The suspected herders invaded the community, shooting and killing three people, while three others sustained injuries.
The victims’ identities have not been disclosed.
Local women took to the streets, protesting what they described as inadequate protection by soldiers stationed in the area.
The protesters demanded that the soldiers be withdrawn to their barracks, claiming they failed to respond promptly to the attack.
The residents also requested immediate transportation to Makurdi, stating they no longer feel safe in the community.
This attack comes barely two months after a similar incident in June, where over 200 people were killed in a midnight attack on the same community.
The august attack was described by Amnesty International as one of the deadliest in recent times, with dozens of people burnt alive and many others shot dead.
The Commissioner of Police is reportedly at the scene, trying to handle the situation.
A former government official attempted to persuade the women to vacate the federal highway, but they refused, insisting that soldiers leave their communities due to alleged inadequate protection.
