Gunmen kill 16 in fresh Benue attack

Gunmen were said to have killed 16 persons at Agabge in Gwer Local Government Area of Benue State Saturday evening.

The chairman of the local government, Francis Ayagah, told Daily Trust yesterday the attacks were on Tse-Tuma, Shaia, Tse-Jagu and surrounding villages. He alleged that the attackers were herders’ militia.

He said he had forwarded names of seven suspects to the Operation Whirl Stroke for investigation.

But the Force Commander of OPWS, Major-General Adeyemi Yekini, confirmed the incident, but put the casualty figure at seven.

Addressing newsmen in Makurdi yesterday, Yekini said the gunmen disguised in military uniforms had on Saturday killed innocent people while they rustled cattle in Agabge area.

He warned trouble makers in Benue State to desist from causing crisis or face the wrath of the law.

Yekini said: “It is obvious that some forces are bent on instigating violence in Benue State and they are armed too. I’m warning them to stop immediately or else, the arm of law will catch up with them.”

Earlier, the OPWS unit commander, Flight Lieutenant, Abubakar Mohammed, had said that following a tip-off, he led his patrol team to where some men (not his soldiers) in military uniform rustled cos in the area under his watch.