At least 10 persons were feared dead yesterday in renewed hostilities between Fulani herdsmen and farmers at Tom-Anyiin and Tom-Ataan communities, Mbaya, Tombu in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State.
It was gathered that the fresh violence rendered no fewer than 300 people homeless.
A source from one of the affected communities told Vanguard that the Fulani invaders stormed the communities late Saturday night, shooting sporadically and burning down houses, huts, food barn, farmland and economic trees.
The source said: “As I speak with you, fighting is still raging in the affected communities. Although I cannot give you a precise figure of the dead, about 10 have been killed, many are missing and many others sustained injures.”
Meanwhile, the Council Chairman, Mr. Godwin Lorsue, while reacting to the latest attack, said that he had invited senior security officers to accompany him in assessing the situation, when they were ambushed and attacked by the herdsmen.
Lorsue said: “It was only God that saved us. They were over 30 and well armed while we had only four armed police officers with us. Our cars were perforated with bullets.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent Moses Yamu, who confirmed the attack on the Council Chairman and his entourage, said no live was lost.
Yamu said: “The people ran away from their communities in fear of a possible attack by Fulani herdsmen, but there were neither killing nor destruction of property in the area.
“I can confirm that the DPO, the Area Commander, the Caretaker Council Chairman and selected stakeholders were attacked by suspected herdsmen when they visited to assess the situation in the area.”
