By Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
At least four people have been killed in a renewed attack on Abaushwa community in Nzorov Council Ward of Guma Local Government Area, Benue State, in an incident blamed on suspected armed herdsmen.
The attack occurred late on Monday night when the assailants reportedly invaded the community while residents were asleep, attacking homes and killing victims in their houses.
Nzorov Council Ward is the hometown of former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom.
A community source said the attackers stormed the village without provocation, forcing open the doors of their victims’ homes before killing them.
“They came and attacked the community without any provocation, killing people in their sleep. They forced open the doors of their victims’ homes and murdered them inside,” the source said.
According to the source, three people were killed during the attack, while several others sustained injuries. The injured victims were taken to the General Hospital in Gbajimba for treatment, where one of them later died, bringing the death toll to four.
The source added that several residents remain missing, with search efforts still ongoing.
A former Executive Secretary of the Benue State Teaching Service Board (TSB), Dr. Frank Kyungun, who visited the affected community alongside former Governor Ortom and other prominent indigenes, described the attack as “barbaric” and “unprovoked.”
Kyungun said the attackers struck at about midnight, killing four people and leaving several others with serious injuries.
He noted that the delegation visited the community to sympathise with the victims and urged residents to remain calm while security agencies conducted their investigations.
“It is deeply unfortunate. Our people resolved long ago to stop eating beef, and it is not even sold in our markets because we wanted to avoid any conflict. Even when our farmlands are destroyed by grazing cattle, our people have continued to exercise restraint.
“We cannot understand why innocent people should be killed without any provocation. It is a sad and painful development,” he said.
The Chairman of Guma Local Government Area, Maurice Orwough, also condemned the attack in a statement issued by his Personal Assistant on Communication and Strategy, Ernest Tortiv.
Describing the incident as heartbreaking and unacceptable, Orwough expressed condolences to the bereaved families and wished the injured victims a speedy recovery.
He disclosed that security personnel had been deployed to Abaushwa community to restore peace, protect lives and property, and prevent further attacks.
The council chairman urged residents to remain calm, cooperate with security agencies, and continue providing credible information that would assist efforts to combat insecurity in the area.
Confirming the incident, the Benue State Police Command said four people were killed in the attack.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Peter Aondona, said the victims were killed by suspected bandits and assured the public that investigations had commenced.
“I can confirm that there was an attack in Guma Local Government Area in which four persons were killed by suspected bandits. Investigations are ongoing, and efforts are being intensified to ensure that the perpetrators are arrested and brought to justice,” the police spokesperson said.
Security agencies have yet to announce any arrests in connection with the attack as investigations continue.
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