Police deploy officers as villagers flee, several farmers still missing
Tension has gripped the Guma Local Government Area of Benue State following a fresh wave of violence allegedly carried out by suspected armed herders. The attackers struck at Tse Akor Gbatse, a farming village in Mbamar Clan, Nyiev Council Ward, on Saturday morning, leaving one man dead, his wife badly wounded, and another woman seriously injured.
The tragic incident occurred around 11:45 a.m. while the victims were working on their farm. According to eyewitness accounts, the deceased, identified as Mr. Tachia Akor, was killed on the spot. His wife, alongside another farmer, Mrs. Mbagbedi Tsetim, sustained grave injuries and was rushed to Adi Hospital in Daudu town for treatment.
A resident who gave his name simply as Jonah told reporters that the armed herders descended on the unsuspecting farmers without warning, inflicting severe harm and causing panic across the community. He also revealed that several other farmers are yet to be accounted for, fueling fears of possible abductions or further casualties.
Jonah alleged that some of the suspected herders were later sighted occupying deserted villages within the LGA, sparking renewed anxiety among locals. He lamented that farming activities, which form the mainstay of the community’s livelihood, have been severely disrupted as residents continue to live in fear of more attacks.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, DSP Edeme Udet, confirmed the incident. He explained that officers had been immediately deployed to the affected communities once the report was received. According to him, security operatives are on the ground and investigations are ongoing to track down the perpetrators.
“Yes, we were informed. Immediately we heard of the report, our men were deployed to the area, and they are already investigating the matter. Normalcy has returned to the area,” the police spokesperson stated.
Despite assurances of calm from the police, locals say tension remains high as families search for their missing loved ones and weigh the risks of returning to their farmlands. The latest incident adds to the series of violent attacks that have plagued rural communities in Benue, a state that has repeatedly found itself at the center of clashes between armed herders and farming populations.
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