No fewer than two persons were feared killed on Monday night when suspected armed herders attacked Atakpa community in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.
The attack reportedly triggered panic among residents, forcing many to flee the area for safety.
A local resident, who identified himself simply as Sunny, told journalists on Tuesday that the assailants stormed the community at night and engaged local vigilantes.
According to him, two youths were killed while attempting to repel the attackers.
“These herders invaded the community on Monday night. Some of our youths who were on surveillance encountered them, and in the process of resisting the attack, two of the youths were killed,” he said.
He added that the incident followed a series of recent attacks in neighbouring communities, including parts of Apa Local Government Area, where several lives were reportedly lost in separate assaults.
Efforts to reach the Chairman of Agatu Local Government Area, Melvin Ejeh, were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
However, the spokesperson for the state police command, DSP Udeme Edet, confirmed the incident but gave a different account.
Edet said no death was officially recorded, noting that one person sustained injuries from a stray bullet and is currently receiving treatment, while another individual remains missing.
“There was a report of an attack on Atakpa community. No fatality has been confirmed. One person was injured and is in the hospital, while one person is unaccounted for,” she said.
The police spokesperson added that efforts were ongoing to track down the perpetrators.
The latest incident occurred barely a day after another attack in Edikwu Ankpali in Apa Local Government Area, where several persons were reportedly killed.
In a related development, gunmen had last Thursday attacked Mbwelle village in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, killing at least eight members of the same family, further heightening security concerns in parts of the country.
