-
As gunmen kill 11 in Benue communities
From Ahmad Mohammed, Bauchi & Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
Bauchi State government said some bandits’ from neigbouring Yobe State have infiltrated about four Local Government Areas of the state and reportedly scuttle MTN mast in Gamawa LGA in order to facilitate their nefarious acts.
This is as gunmen yesterday killed 11 persons and wounded several others in Tse Amgbem, close to Aondoana in Gwer West Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State
The Secretary to the State Government Aljahi Sabiu Baba made the disclosure at a press conference at the Mini-Chamber of the Government House shortly after a security meeting between the Governor and head of security agencies in the state.
He said the infiltrated LGAs are Gamawa, Dambam, Darazo and Zaki which are sharing boundaries with Yobe state.
The SSG said five people have been arrested by the Police and items removed from the MTN mast were recovered.
Sabiu said the influx of the displaced people has put the state under security threat.
“Our facilities are now overstretched and we are not comfortable with the development. Security strategies have been developed to ensure that the threat did not turn into attack in the state. We have decided to commence profiling of all the people coming into Bauchi State, particularly in the four affected LGAs in order to discover those with dangerous weapons and demonize them.
“The state government will ensure that the joint operations of the security agencies will be intensifed particularly air surveillance around the affected LGAs. Some bandits have been arrested for vandalizing the mtn installation in Gamawa LGA with the intention of blocking communication in the area in preparation for attack”, he said.
Meanwhile, 11 persons were reportedly killed and several others wounded by suspected gunmen in Tse Amgbem, close to Aondoana in Gwer West Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State.
An eye witness who pleaded anonymity told Peoplesdaily that the attackers stormed the village in the early hours of Monday while the people were still asleep, shooting sporadically.
According to him, most of those killed are children and the aged, adding that they also, burnt down several houses.
As a time of filing this report, hundreds of people have fled the area and are said to be taking refugee in Aondoana close to Naka town.
When contacted on phone, Police Spokesperson DSP Catherine Anene said she received communication on phone by the DPO of the area that there was an attack, but she is yet to get details.
This incieent comes on the heels of Sunday evening attack by suspected Fulani herdsmen on Agbanu, along Naka-Agagbe road, Saghev Council Ward, and Nagi, Mbachohon Council Ward respectively in Gwer-West local government area of the State
According to Udam Samuel, two dead bodies were discovered in the bush, including remains of one Mr Friday Iordye of Saghev and Mr Peter Terna of Mbachohon.
Many others with different degrees of injuries have since been hospitalized at Naka, the local government headquarter.
