Not fewer than 17 people have been killed in different communities of Agatu and Katsina Ala Local Government Areas of Benue State.
The Next Edition gathered that 15 people were allegedly killed in Kastina-Ala by armed invaders while two others were killed in Agatu in a cult-related attack.
A resident of Katsina Ala who doesn’t want to be named, disclosed that the town has enjoyed relative peace recently and expressed sadness at the events that happened in the last three days.
He, however, told journalists on the phone that there are deserted interior rural farming communities where the remaining inhabitants were still being killed.
According to him, while people are being killed in those communities, some people are being kidnapped while women are raped on daily basis.
“Let no one lie, the killing is still ongoing in the rural areas most especially in Mbatyula, Mbayongo and Yooyo council ward of Kastina-Ala local government area.
“Not less than seven people in Mbatyula council ward were killed on Tuesday while Emmanuel Apever’s wife from Kenvanger was abducted and taken to an unknown destination.
“In Tse Ate, three persons were killed and another two persons also killed at Saawua compound while three were reportedly killed in Tse Asaa. All in Mbagbeentya community of Mbatyula council ward,” the source said.
When contacted, Information Officer of the Kastina-Ala LGA, Tertsea Benga, confirmed the development saying some armed invaders were still killing the villagers despite the success recorded so far by security operatives in the area.
Our correspondent had also gathered that there was a disagreement on Tuesday between Aila and Abugbe communities of Agatu.
Chairman of Agatu LGA, Suleiman Adoyi, in a telephone chat, denied any fresh hostility among the people, but said, “we are on top of the situation.”
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Meanwhile, the Secretary of Agatu LGA, Sunday Oteyi, stated that two persons who went fishing in Aila, a rural community in Agatu, were hacked to death by unidentified persons.
He said the bodies of the deceased have been recovered by the police and deposited in an hospital mortuary.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Benue State Command, DSP Catherine Anene, said she was yet to get information. She promised to find out if there were such reports from the areas.
