At least 30 people are feared dead following attacks on several communities in Katsina-Ala and Logo Local Government Areas of Benue State by suspected gunmen. Reports indicate that the invasions occurred on Sunday and continued into the early hours of Monday.
Locals reported that 10 bodies were recovered in Katsina-Ala, while 20 were found in Logo, bringing the total number of fatalities to 30. Chief Joseph Anawah, a community leader in Logo, described the incident as a large-scale invasion. He stated, “The attack on Azege settlement and surrounding areas of Tombo Council Ward began around 7 a.m. on Sunday, November 24, 2024. Armed men, numbering over 300 and suspected to be militia from outside Nigeria, invaded and carried out the attacks on Benue communities.”
He explained that the attackers, armed with sophisticated weapons, overwhelmed local security operatives until the intervention of a military jet forced them to retreat. “So far, over 20 corpses have been recovered, but the search for missing persons is still ongoing,” Anawah added.
In Katsina-Ala, Council Chairman Justine Shaku confirmed the attacks in Adabo village and Tse Gwebe settlement early Monday morning. He reported that heavily armed assailants stormed the areas, killing an unspecified number of people, destroying properties, and looting households. “The scale of destruction is massive, and the exact death toll will be communicated later,” Shaku said, emphasizing the persistent security threats posed by armed herder militias in the state.
Meanwhile, Logo Council Chairman Clement Kav reported that 17 people were killed and 37 injured during the attacks in the Tombo Council Ward. Kav stated that the attackers claimed ownership of the land, alleging it belonged to them. He noted that Governor Hyacinth Alia had mobilized additional security forces to the area and that relative peace had been restored, with no further reports of missing persons.
Police Public Relations Officer Catherine Anene confirmed the attacks but provided a lower death toll, stating that five bodies had been recovered. Authorities continue to investigate the incidents and conduct search-and-rescue operations in the affected communities.
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