Suspected armed bandits have again attacked the community hosting the Abagana Internally Displaced Persons camp in Makurdi/Laafia road in Benue State, killing eight people.
It was gathered that the killers beheaded and took away the heads of the victims, including an entire family of six. Eight other persons were wounded with three of them in critical condition.
The attack which took place on Thursday night when the community had retired for the night, is the second in two years in an attempt to hit the Abagana IDP camp where hundreds of internally displaced persons have been living since January 2018 when armed bandits attacked and killed seventy three persons in Guma and Logo local government areas of the state.
The Special Adviser to Governor Samuel Ortom on security matters, Colonel Paul Hemba (retd) told newsmen on a telephone conversation that rescue operations by the police are underway and the search for survivors or more bodies is ongoing.
Colonel Hemba said the attack took place at about 9.00pm on Thursday and that women and children were among those killed. Those injured have been moved to the hospital for medical care.
A message from him reads, ”Suspected bandits attacked Abagana opposite the IDP camp last night at about 2100hrs. So far, eight corpses, including women and children, have been recovered, and eight others seriously injured were evacuated to the hospital for treatment. Some of the bodies were beheaded and the heads taken away. The bushes are still being combed for more victims.”
The family killed consisted of the father, mother, and four children, while two other bodies were recovered along the way.
“A man with his wife and four children were all wiped out in the attack,” Colonel Hemba said, adding that the casualty figure may likely rise “as three other persons were shot and may not survive the injuries in the chest.”
He added that two of those killed were IDPs while the bandits stole two motorcycles belonging to the villagers.
When contacted, the Commissioner of Police, Benue State, Wale Abass, confirmed the attack and said he was at the scene of the incident.
“I’m at the scene of the incident. The moment we leave here, the PPRO (Police Public Relations Officer) will furnish you with details”, the CP said.
