The killings in Benue State by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen militia have continued unabated with over 200 persons killed yesterday in Yelwata, Guma Local Government Area of the state.

A high-ranking officer in the army also revealed that two soldiers were also killed in a separate attack same yesterday morning in Guma LGA.

Speaking to newsmen on phone in Makurdi, a community leader in Yelwata and former acting Chairman of Benue SUBEB, Matthew Mnyan, said: “It started last night at about 11pm when Fulani terrorists came from the Western part of Yelwata and started shooting.

“So the police men and young people that were there tried to engage them. Suddenly another group came from the Eastern part of the community and they overran those trying to resist them.

They killed people, poured petrol on the stalls in the market and burnt them.

“In those stalls we had people who moved from places like Branch Udei and people displaced from nearby villages, who sleep in the stalls because of the nearness of the police and soldiers there. And we learnt no soldier came out to defend the people.

“As of now from the names being put together, and families that were burnt and killed, the death toll is running to over 200 now. They killed and burnt people in the houses. They will pour petrol and burn the whole place where people were sleeping. We have families of 12 or 15 people, men with their two wives, children and every one of them were burnt. It is a terrible sight.

“I have asked them to search for the families and put the names together because some have been burnt to ashes. Those that were rushed to hospital were up to 46 so far I learnt that about 20 died and we are till putting the reports together.

“This was an unprovoked attack. It was just planned. For over one week we received reports from Nasarawa State that the terrorists planned to attack Yelwata, Ukohol, Ortese, Yogbo and Daudu. So they are moving to attacks these places simultaneously.

“Fortunately, the ones at Daudu were dislodged yesterday while five soldiers were killed sadly. I think one of them was of the rank of a captain.

“We learnt they were more than 200 where they camped close to Daudu. This is heartbreaking, everybody is aware that the people want to take over Benue state. There are no two ways about it. They only want to grab the land.

“If you go to the east side of Yelwata, Fulanis have taken over the land and given it to some of their people to farm on. And they do not want anybody to go there. So this is a planned issue that is being executed. It was a coordinated and well-organized attack that is why some came from the eastern part and some from the western part to execute the attack to make sure they bring the place down.

“Women, children and toddlers were murdered in cold blood. Children had their necks slit and killed like animals.

“We had wanted to move all the corpses to the road, but I recalled that there was a time we did that and three persons were killed by security personnel,” he added.

In his own account, the President of the Association of United Farmers Benue Valley (AUFBV), Chief Dennis Gbongbon, said the incident took place at about 2.00am yesterday.

He narrated that the attackers stormed the area when the people were in deep sleep and set houses ablaze burning families and their properties inside.

According to him, majority of the victims were Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who ran from the neighbouring Nasarawa State to take refuge in the area.

The visibly shaken farmer said: “Today about 2am, we had a very disturbing security threat to Tiv farmers in Yelwata community of Guma LGA. Suspected Lakurawa bandits and alleged herders killed over 62 IDPs and farmers and burnt houses with families beyond imagination.

“The dead toll shall rise as search and rescue mission is on. Many were burnt in stores where they were sleeping. I am right here on ground. 85 percent victims are IDPs that ran from Antsa, Dooka, kadarko, Giza areas and are taking refuge at various stores in Yelwata market and resident. Many have been hospitalized.

The IDPs are still farmers. They are IDPs in Yelwata, hence they only ran to take refuge. While it is important to separate them, it would help to understand the deteriorating situation the farmers are confronted with. Even having been driven away their homes to IDP camp, terror still followed them unabated.”

Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to Governor Hyacinth Alia on Security and Internal Affairs, Chief Joseph Har has confirmed the attacks. He said: “I can’t give an exact account of it because I’m not there physically but I’m aware that this ugly thing happened yesterday in Yelwata and at the back of Daudu. They are two different attacks. I can’t say the exact number because I don’t have the details.”

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Udeme Edet, also confirmed the incident saying it happened yesterday morning. (Sunday Sun)