Gunmen invade Benue communities, kill 6 farmers

By Emmanuel Antswen

Gunmen have killed six cashew farmers in an attack on Asaba, Ojantele, and Okpette communities in Apa Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State on Friday.

The farmers were reportedly working on their farms when the assailants launched the attack, Benue Police Command’s spokesperson, DSP Edet Udeme said on Saturday in a statement made available to newsmen in Makurdi.

According to the statement, joint security teams comprising operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, the military, and local youths from the affected communities immediately mobilised into the forest to carry out search and rescue operations following the attack.

Benue Police spokesperson said the efforts resulted in the recovery of the remains of the murdered farmers.

“At the end of the initial operation, six lifeless bodies were recovered; efforts are ongoing to ensure the safety of residents in the affected communities,” she added.

Udeme said that the Benue Commissioner of Police, Mr Ifeanyi Emenari, had assured the public that reinforcements had been sent to facilitate a more thorough and coordinated operation in the affected communities.

The spokesperson pointed out that the aim was to track down those responsible for the attack and apprehend them.

“In the meantime, patrols have been intensified across the affected communities and the entire state to prevent any further attacks and to reassure residents of the continued readiness of security operatives to always confront such attacks.

“Members of the public are urged to remain calm and continue to cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information that may assist ongoing operations,” she said. (NAN)