A group of suspected Fulani herders massacred a family of five and six other persons in Waya community in Jato-Aka of Turan council ward of Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.
The attack is alleged to have occurred on Thursday, April 21, when the victims were working at their own farms; nevertheless, the hunt for their bodies began late that night when they were discovered missing, and as of Friday morning, 11 bodies had been located.
Eyewitnesses from the village who spoke with journalists said that the victims were quietly killed and unnoticed on their farms as people got to know of the incident when relatives started raising alarm over the whereabouts of their loved ones who went to the farms and did not return as usual.
The villagers report that that people in the community went on a thorough search in to various farm lands where they discovered the 11 dead bodies of the victims in different locations.
Among the deceased include a whole family of six which has; a man, his wife and three children, including a toddler, all found in one farm. While the remaining six persons were found on different farms and locations.
The victims were identified by names as: Gbaeren Orsoo, Terdoo Tsega, Bemdoo Tsega, Abacha Tsega, Terkaa Tsega, Aôndoaseer Tyov, Iorhen Atim and Aôndowase Igba among others.
Mrs. Tartor Chianson Chairman of Kwande LGA, who also confirmed the attack to newsmen via phone call said that she was at the area where the incident occurred and that eight bodies were recovered before she left to report the incident in Makurdi the state capital.
Chianson, said the slain victims have been taken to the morgue saying that the troops of Operation While Stroke (OPWS) have been deployed to calm the situation and to also search for the other missing bodies.
She said that ascertaining the number of causalities at the moment will not be possible as families are still filing complaints regarding their missing love ones.
According to her the attackers seize the opportunity that many people went to the farm on Thursday because it rained on Wednesday night which makes it suitable for them to go and prepare their farm land for planting and they were ambushed and killed differently in their farms at Waya community close to Anwase a nearby area.
The chairman said that this is not the first time the attackers are visiting the area, saying they came few days ago, and set a lot of houses ablaze and also kidnapped some other persons, took away their machines and later brought their mutilated bodies and dumped.
She further lament that the attackers are planning towards collecting their ancestral homes as she said five council wards are under siege.
The council wards include; Mbachura, Kumakwagh, Yaav, Moon and Mbaikyur and that over 50 persons have lost their lives in the area in the last three months according to the chairman.
