‘More deaths recorded in Benue attacks’

More deaths have been recorded in parts of Benue State rural communities which came under attack since the beginning of the New Year.

Several villages in Logo and Guma local government areas suffered series of attacks by the invasion of gunmen between Monday and Thursday.

A local told our correspondent in Makurdi yesterday that 15 more people were killed in a fresh attack early hours of Thursday and Friday in Logo Local Government area.

The witness mentioned the villages raided by the gunmen in the latest attack to include, Tse Meeme, Akenawe, Orveren, Toradi, Mom Anshase, Myange, Jootar, Tse Agandor, Channel One, Anshungu,Ukende Gbasaa, Agbaaye and Tse Gungu, all in Logo.

Also, Governor Samuel Ortom told newsmen shortly after the emergency stakeholders meeting which ended 7pm on Friday that additional deaths were recorded in Logo.

The governor put the figure of death toll so far at over 40, adding, that he would never bow to provocation of the gunmen to take laws into his hands but will at all times do the right thing.

Meanwhile, a group known as Nigeria NGO Network on Humanitarian Development Initiative (NINGONET) has condemned the incessant killing of women and children in the recent gunmen attack on Benue State rural communities.

President of NINGONET, Josephine Habba, who led hundreds of women to express their grievances to the state government in Makurdi at the weekend, noted that the development was unacceptable.

Habba regretted that despite several alarms raised by the state government to the Federal Government on the planned attack nothing was done to avert the threat.

Similarly, Jennifer Igoh, who spoke on behalf of Jireh Doo Foundation, expressed sadness over the killing while also commiserating with the families of those who lost their lives in the attacks, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari should do more in bringing the senseless killings to an end.