Armed invaders have reportedly killed two soldiers, a village head, and six residents in Egwuma, located in the Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.
Locals reported that the incident occurred around 5 PM on Tuesday. A villager, who requested anonymity, revealed that the attackers seized the soldiers’ weapons, including a firearm, after killing two soldiers and seriously injuring a third.
Sule Audu, a former member of the State House of Assembly representing the Agatu constituency, told our correspondent via telephone that at least nine people were killed during the assault on the community, including the two soldiers, the village head, and six residents.
He stated, “The attack happened between 4 PM and 5 PM on Tuesday. The bandits advanced on Egwuma via the Akile axis, deliberately avoiding the road where soldiers were stationed. They opened fire on people inside their homes, resulting in the deaths of the village head and six others, as well as the two soldiers, while also making off with the soldiers’ arms.
“One of the soldiers was severely wounded. The attackers retreated to the parts of Agatu land they occupy, including villages like Ogwumogbo, Ejuma, Akile, Okpogbolo, Okpiye, and Echije. Just days earlier, on Sunday, the residents had returned home after soldiers assured them of their safety; then, they faced this assault on Tuesday. The affected village had long been deserted due to previous bandit invasions, where they would strike and retreat to their occupied villages.”
Sule further noted that the attackers had come from the directions of Nasarawa and Kogi states, having long besieged and taken over several communities in Agatu LGA. He emphasized that the soldiers had been instrumental in repelling the bandits’ incursions.
As of the time of this report, neither the police nor the army had issued statements regarding the situation. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Catherine Anene, confirmed she had yet to receive any report about the attack.
