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MAKURDI – About 16 persons are feared dead and still counting in an attack on Efeyi Ugboju community of Otupko Local Government Area of Benue State, in the early hours of Tuesday.
Daily Independent gathered that many more were wounded from the attack. According to the locals in the area, the attack on the community started about 5a.m and was still on till about 9a.m, without any intervention by security agencies.
Although, the chairman of Otukpo LGA, Maxwell Ogiri, said he couldn’t readily confirm the number of deaths, the locals in the area insisted that the number of deaths could be more, because many persons were still missing.
At the time of compiling this report about 12:45p.m, the state command of the Nigeria Police said it was not aware that such an attack had occurred.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Udeme Edet, promised to get back to us when she has details of the attack.
Describing the situation in Efeyi Ugboju as pathetic, the locals lamented that even though the attack on the community was reported early enough, four hours later, the security agencies were no where in sight, adding that both the Army and Police that were stationed at Ugboju Ogobia, had not responded to the distress calls from the affected community.
They said, at the moment they were “helpless and vulnerable” just as they prayed for the repose of the souls of those that were killed in the attacks.
Responding to the attack, Chairman, Otukpo LGA, Maxwell Ogiri, said, “It’s still the same militia, Fulani militia. It (attack) happened in the early hours of this morning.”
Asked for the reason behind the attack, the council chairman explained that “there was no issue, no provocation. They have (recently) been attacking from one community to the other in recent days. The level of casualty increases. I think even the day before yesterday (Sunday) and yesterday (Monday), it happened in one of the villages, then this one today. They choose locations to attack at will.
“I cannot confirm the number of deaths yet. I am waiting for more reports.
“I am even in the teaching hospital now expecting the wounded, they were in a local hospital for first aid but I’m not sure that that place would be too good enough for them.
“We have great numbers of security operatives in Otukpo right now but I am not the one to decide their operations; mine is to give them a comfortable place to stay and other logistics, but I don’t determine their operation”, the chairman explained.
