Photo: Governor Hyacinth Alia
Fresh panic gripped Benue State on Monday following the killing of no fewer than 32 persons by rampaging gunmen in Azege settlement, Mbaya, Tombo Council Ward of Logo local government area of Benue State.
Naija Daily News gathered that armed men fired indiscriminately at houses and people living in the settlement in the early hours of Monday, leaving corpses of youths, children and the elderly in their wake
A local head in the town, Joseph Anawah, told newsmen that 32 corpses were recovered from the nearby bushes while scores were still missing.
According to him, bandits were suspected mercenaries hired by an unnamed group from Nasarawa State.
He said they came in their numbers, and launched an attack on Azege Village and its environs on Sunday morning, killing over 32 people including women and children.
He claimed that over 300 bandits were involved in the attack, adding that they shot indiscriminately at residents of the community, forcing scores to flee into the bush.
Anawah said the bandits only left the community when a suspected Nigerian Air Force jet came to the community’s rescue.
Meanwhile, he said search parties have been constituted and dispatched to retrieve corpses and rescue victims who could still be hiding in the bush.
“The invaders operated for hours and fled before security personnel arrived at the scene,” he disclosed.
When contacted via the telephone, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Catherine Anene confirmed the incident but said only five bodies were recovered at the scene.
