Five killed in Benue, Kebbi fresh attacks

Benue map

Fresh violent attacks across some parts of northern Nigeria have left at least five people dead and a 30-year-old woman kidnapped in separate incidents in Benue, Bauchi, and Kebbi states.

In Benue, suspected armed herders launched a deadly attack on the Akpete community in Apa Local Government Area on Thursday evening, killing four residents and leaving several others missing.

Local sources said the assailants stormed the village, shooting indiscriminately before fleeing into the bush.

The locals claimed that gunmen invaded the area and shot sporadically.

One of the residents who craved anonymity said, “The people were armed herders and stormed our village Thursday evening. They were just shooting indiscriminately.

“Four dead bodies were recovered and many are still missing as of today (Friday),” the source said.

Some elders in the village reportedly made distress calls to the authorities but the attackers had fled before the arrival of security personnel.

When contacted, the Chairman of Apa Local Government, Adams Ochega, confirmed that four people were killed and many others injured.

Ochega, in a telephone interview with Saturday PUNCH, said, “We never had a problem with Fulani, they just attacked the village and killed four people. Some people were wounded and some have not been found.

“From my findings, the Akpete people had no problems with them at all. I left a meeting around 5 pm to 6 pm and heard that there were gunshots in the community. I called the area, but the network was bad; it was around 7 pm that I got through.

“I thereafter got across to the soldiers stationed at Ikobi. Before I could even get through to them, they were already in the community and even before they got there, people had attacked and run away.”