Suspected Fulani herdsmen have killed a family of five and six other people at Waya community in Jato-Aka of Turan council ward of Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.
The incident happened on Thursday, April 21, while the victims were working at their various farms but the search for their bodies began at night and 11 corpses had been recovered as of Friday morning.
Villagers told journalists that the deceased were silently hacked to death on the farms and that many 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.
According to locals, a search party for the missing people immediately went to the various farms only to discover dead bodies in different locations.
“So far, 11 corpses had been recovered. They include a whole family – a man, his wife and three children, including a toddler, in one farm – while the remaining six persons were found on different farms,” a local said.
“As we speak, a search is still ongoing for more missing persons and there are indications that more bodies would be found,” a villager said.
The villagers listed names of some of the recovered bodies severely mutilated to include; Gbaeren Orsoo, Terdoo Tsega, Bemdoo Tsega, Abacha Tsega, Terkaa Tsega, Aôndoaseer Tyov, Iorhen Atim and Aôndowase Igba among others.
Chairman of Kwande LGA, Mrs. Tartor Chianson, who confirmed the attack, said eight bodies before were recovered before she left the area for Makurdi to report the incident.
Chianson, who spoke to journalists by telephone, said the slain victims have been deposited in the morgue while troops of Operation While Stroke (OPWS) are still combing the bush for more recoveries.
She said it was even difficult at the moment to determine the exact figure of causality as their could be more corpses in the bush following complaints of missing persons by their relatives.
“My people went to the farm on Thursday because it rained on Wednesday night so they went to the farm to prepare the land for planting and they were ambushed and killed differently in their farms at Waya community close to Anwase,” she explained.
“The attackers came few days ago, and set a lot of houses ablaze, they also kidnapped some other persons, took away their machines and later brought their mutilated bodies and dumped.
“All that they are doing is just to collect our ancestral homes as I speak with you five council wards are under siege, they include Mbachura, Kumakwagh, Yaav, Moon and Mbaikyur. Over 50 persons have lost their lives in the area in the last three months.”
