Rampaging herdsmen on Wednesday slaughtered two priests and 14 worshipers at St. Ignatius Catholic Church, Ayar-Mbalom in Gwer West Local Government of Benue State.
A source from the area, who pleaded not to be named, told this newspaper that the attacked occurred while the morning mass was underway.
He said the armed herdsmen invaded the church and murdered the priests and worshippers inside the church before torching down houses in the community.
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“The armed herdsmen attacked St. Ignatius Catholic Church this morning in Ayar-Mbalom, where an early morning mass was in progress,” said the source.
“They also burnt down no fewer than 50 houses during the attack and sacked the entire Ayar-Mbalom community.”
He gave the names of the slain priests as Fathers Joseph Gor and Felix Tyolaha, saying they both served in the local parish.
The current skirmish comes barely four days after a similar attack in Guma Local Government Area, where the herdsmen murdered 10 persons while persons suspected to be Nigerian soldiers razed down over 300 houses in Naka, Gwer West Local Government Area of the state
Attempts to speak with the state Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni and the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Moses Yamu were unsuccessful as they would not pick calls or respond to text messages.
