Fulani herdsmen on Sunday morning in one gory bloody attack slaughtered over 100 persons (mostly women, children and the aged) in villages and refugee camps at Ukura, Gafa, Per and Tse-Gusa LGAs in Benue, Vanguard reports.
The areas, which until the latest onslaught, hosted most refugees from previous attacks by the herdsmen, is where the home town of Governor Gabriel Suswam is located.
Reports say some of the herdsmen were dressed in military garbs and were without mercy.
“What happened was like a war situation where people were killed like animals, irrespective of their ages and gender. This is, indeed, a sad day for the people of Benue State," an eyewitness said.
“Most of them were women, children and the elderly, and they are decomposing already.
“Search for more bodies is still ongoing in the area, because so many persons are still missing and unaccounted for.”
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Gabriel Suswam on Media Affairs, Mr. Joseph Anawa, confirmed the incident.
“Indeed, over 100 people were killed last Sunday morning when heavily armed suspected Fulani herdsmen, some of whom were dressed in military uniform, stormed the communities from Kente in neighbouring Taraba State.
“They attacked the villages and refugee camps at Ukura, Gafa, Per and Tse-Gusa, where they began shooting indiscriminately at the people at 4a.m. and continued till 10.30a.m.
“As we speak, the communities have been sacked, hundreds of houses, huts, farmland and property worth millions of naira have been destroyed and the inhabitants and survivors have all fled their homes and the communities.”