Suspected Fulani herdsmen in connivance with the Jukun militia attacked the Vaase and Jootar communities all in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State leaving at 25 people mostly farmers dead.
The attackers, it was gathered, made a surprised incursion into the area at about 6:00am and took the people unaware as they started shooting sporadically at the GRA side as hordes of people scampered for their safety without intervention from security men stationed at Kente, which is about three kilometres to Vaase.
An indigene of Ukum, Mr. Jeremiah Iorngaem, said that despite the killing, the attackers also set ablaze over 100 houses while many people had since deserted their homes.
But the Security Adviser to Benue State Governor, Lieutenant Col. Paul Hemba, when contacted, confirmed the killing of 10 people and destruction of property worth billions of naira.
“I received that report early this morning that there was a down attack by men suspected to be herdsmen at Vaase area of Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, and apart the burning of houses, I also received a report that 10 people were also killed”.
“The security men who are deployed there are still combing the area and we may have more casualties but reports reaching me has it that at least 8 to 10 persons were killed”.
Hemba said that he had been to Taraba state three times since the outbreak of the crisis at the instance of Governor Samuel Ortom especially at Kente, a settlement dominated by both Jukun and Tiv people among other stakeholders to find ways of ending the conflict, where a communique issued but that after the peace meeting, pockets of killings continued unabated in neighbouring villages.
He said traditional rulers from the Benue led by Chief Abu King Shuluwa and others from the Jukun were at the meeting but expressed worry that the resolution at the meeting was not communicated to the youth from the Jukun hence the continued attacks.
The Security Adviser said as the crisis persisted a meeting was held from the Tiv side in Ukum of the youths during which they were told to be calm as talks were on between Taraba and Benue to end the killing and attacks.
He said relative peace had been restored in the troubled area following the massive deployment of security men to the area.
It was however gathered that there was massive exodus of residents including women and children out of the area to areas they considered to be safe.