Herdsmen attack Benue community

From: Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

Suspected herdsmen, armed with sophisticated weapons yesterday afternoon attacked Mbawa community in Guma local government area, home of Governor Samuel Ortom and killed one person.
The deceased, Mr. Titus Nyitar, who was gruesomely killed was abandoned in the pool of blood prompting scores of residents to flee the area.
They were also, reported to have abducted a house wife during the attack but was said to have been rescued hours later by the combined efforts of men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC) and military men on patrol.
A native of the area, Mr. Jonah Tyoyuha Iorundu, told Peoplesdaily that the deceased is from Chongu Gugor village.
He said the herdsmen came with cattle and were grazing freely and feeding on harvested crops of farmers, a practice he said was against the open grazing law of the state.
According to Jonah, the invaders made incursion into the local government at about 2:30 pm.
He said, the deceased was on his farm clearing bush to cultivate his farm when the herders attacked and killed him, after which they started shooting sporadically to scare away residents.
“As I speak with you, people have deserted the area and are taking refuge at the Daudu and John-Mark Internally Displaced Persons camps, but the whereabouts of many others is still unknown”.
When contacted, the State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Catherine Sewuese Anene said she had not received such report.