Suspected armed bandits have killed seven fleeing farmers of Mbaikyor Council ward in Turan community of Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State. The farmers had returned to their farmland in an attempt to harvest their crops, which they had abandoned during the 2024 Christmas attack.
Armed bandits, during the 2024 Christmas Day celebration around noon, attacked Yaav and Anwase in the Mbaikyor council ward, killing over 20 people while scores sustained varying degrees of injuries.
The Mbaikyor youth leader Igbawua Gandepuun, who disclosed this in a telephone conversation with journalists, said the visit of the Security Council and some top government officials during the Christmas attack restored their confidence in government’s ability to protect them.
In furtherance to this, the farmers decided to go to farms to harvest their produce.
Unfortunately, they were captured and killed by the herders and up till now, we have not been able to get their corpses for burial.
He lamented, “These herdsmen are occupying most of the houses of our people, feeding their cattle with some of the harvested crops that were kept in the barns, and setting ablaze houses and farms that are yet to be harvested.”
According to him, “With what is happening, I can sense the hunger in the land because crops worth over N20 million have been set ablaze by these armed men suspected to be marauding herders, especially Farms that are beside and behind Ityuluv mountain, over 200 houses have also been raze, a situation that will render most community members homeless even if they return.
“From what is going on here, the only solution to stop these attacks is to deploy more security personnel to Ubuntu junction, Jor wata and IMyande Ukusu through Ityuluv Mountain, which is the entry points of these herders; only this can help our people to return and stay safe.”
“As I speak to you, we have neither seen these Seven people that went to their farms to harvest up till now even their corpses; this recent Killing and burning of houses and farms after the visit of the government has sent fears to the surrounding communities, especially women, children and the aged who are also fleeing in droves for fear of further attacks.
“This is harvesting season, and we can not go to the farms. Our children are no longer going to school, and many people in this community are missing, and we are helpless. The Ityuluv people living behind the Mountain have deserted, just as the people of the Moon council ward. We are begging the government at all levels to come and assess this situation again and deploy security to the areas mentioned above so that our people can come back and harvest their abandoned crops.
Gandepuun decried the distance between the security personnel stationed at the Government Secondary School Anwase, which he said is several kilometres from the settlement area where the attackers are coming from. He added that in any attack, it will take time for the security personnel to reach, and before they arrive, all the attackers will disappear into the surrounding bushes.
When contacted by telephone, Police Public Relations Officer Catherine Anene said she had yet to receive the report.
Efforts to get the chairman of Kwande LG, Vitalis Neji, proved abortive as his number was said to be switched off when filing this report.
