According to Vanguard About 200 persons, including five security personnel and internally displaced persons, IDPs, as well as children and women, have been reportedly killed in a bloody attack by suspected terrorist herdsmen on Yelewata and Daudu communities in Guma Local Government Area, LGAs, of Benue state.
The attack, which came days after the people of the area alleged received information of the impending coordinated attacks by marauders, left many others with varying degrees of injuries.
The invaders were said to have stormed the Yelewata in their numbers from two fronts and, after overpowering the youths and the Police personnel who stood up against them, opened fire on defenceless IDPs who were taking refuge in market stalls and the community members. It was gathered that several families were killed and burnt in their houses and in the Yelewata market stall, with many of the victims being children and toddlers who were slaughtered like animals.
While the attack on Yelewata was ongoing, another set of marauders, also in their number, besieged Daudu, in the same Guma LGA, but they reportedly met a strong resistance by the youths and security personnel, leading to the unfortunate death of some of the security personnel.
A community leader in Yelewata and former acting Chairman of the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Mr. Matthew Mnyan, who held back emotions as he spoke, said it was another dark day for the people of Yelewata, Daudu, Guma LGA and the entire state.
“As of now, from the names they are putting together, and the number of families and people that were burnt and killed are running to over 200 now. They killed and burned people in the houses. They will pour petrol and burn the whole place where people were sleeping. We had a family of 15, some families of 12, men with their two wives, children and every one of them burnt to ashes. It is a terrible sight.
