- Bandits took advantage of market day and burial ceremony to unleash the massacre on Sunday evening
Bandits on Sunday evening killed 27 people in Odugbeho community of Agatu Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State.
The attack was allegedly carried out on Sunday evening around 6 pm by armed herdsmen.
Already, the 27 dead bodies of villagers have been recovered.
A source in the Odugbeho community said that while 11 corpses of the killing including that of a fresh graduate were recovered on Sunday night, the remaining were found in the bush in the early hours of Monday.
Sule Audu, a former member representing Agatu in the State House of Assembly, said he got a report early hours of Monday that 24 corpses were recovered and that the search for more bodies was ongoing.
The Agatu LGA Chairman, Adoyi Sule, confirmed that 27 people were killed in the community and that the armed herders took advantage of the community’s market day and a burial ceremony in the village to unleash the terror on the people.
The chairman, who visited the area, said his team was conducted around the recovered bodies, some of whom were already buried in fresh graves.
He added that most of the villagers have fled to take refuge in the neighbouring communities including Ogbaaulu village.
But as it becoming normal, the Spokesperson of the Benue Police Command, DSP Catherine Anene, did not respond to calls or text messages put through her telephone.