By Kula Tersoo
Makurdi
Suspected Fulani militia have killed no fewer than eighty, most of them women and children in Agatu local government area of Benue state.
The attack, it had been confirmed, took place at Egba village where the militia invaded at about 5am on Sunday.
The locals most of who ran to Otukpo and the other neighboring villages said that 80 corpses have been found as at the last count.
Ejime Udoh, a survivor who spoke to our correspondent on phone from a neighbouring village said the attackers took their village by surprise at the “first cock crow”.
“We heard gun shot. We did not know the direction and when we came out, it was not a situation where you would ask where are your children, husband or wife. We were just running for our lives”, he said.
It would be recalled that only last week, Chief Abomtse, the Ter Nagi raised alarm on the impending planed attack on Benue communities by “snipers camouflaging as herdsmen”.
Benue state Police commissioner, Hycinth Dagala said his men have arrived the scene and confirmed to him thirty (30) dead bodies despite the villagers claimed of eighty.
Deputy Governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming elections, John Mgbede who hails from the area the people he sent home have confirmed to him the recovery of sixty bodies adding that the search was still on as at the time of speaking to press.
Dagala on his part said that he would rely more on his men report even as search to recover more bodies was going on.