Tragedy struck in Benue State on Sunday as suspected herdsmen unleashed terror in the Azege settlement, Mbaya, Tombo Ward of Logo Local Government Area, leaving 13 people brutally murdered in their wake. The gruesome attack, which occurred around 7 a.m., has plunged the community into mourning and highlighted the escalating insecurity in the region.
Benjamin Uzenda, the immediate past Caretaker Chairman of Logo LGA, confirmed the incident, describing it as a meticulously “coordinated and planned” assault.
“The attackers, armed with sophisticated weapons, opened fire on residents who were preparing for morning church service. They butchered some victims after shooting them and gunned down women and children indiscriminately,” Uzenda revealed.
The attackers also set properties ablaze and destroyed farmlands and crops, compounding the devastation. According to Uzenda, the assailants operated unchallenged for hours before fleeing the scene, long before security personnel could intervene.
The attack in Benue State mirrors the rising wave of violence in Southern Kaduna, where communities are grappling with relentless assaults from bandits. In the Ruruma community of Southern Kaduna, the toll of insecurity has reached staggering levels.
In a press statement issued on Sunday, the National President of the Ruruma community, Mr. Daniel Dallah, lamented the unending cycle of banditry and abduction.
He disclosed that the community has paid over N1 billion in ransoms to bandits and kidnappers, yet the attacks persist. So far, 13 people have been brutally murdered, and over 200 residents abducted, with valuables looted freely by the assailants.
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Dallah emphasized the community’s vulnerability, citing the absence of military presence as a major contributing factor to the bandits’ reign of terror. The bandits reportedly threaten to return, leaving the community in a perpetual state of fear.
The Ruruma community has appealed to President Bola Tinubu’s administration to establish a military base in Kwasam, their local government headquarters, to stem the tide of incessant killings and abductions.
Similarly, the people of Benue are demanding urgent intervention from the federal government to address the recurring herdsmen attacks, which have left countless communities devastated.
Under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, the spotlight on Nigeria’s security challenges has intensified. The unrelenting wave of violence in Benue and Southern Kaduna raises questions about the effectiveness of the government’s response to the escalating crisis.
With communities in both regions reeling from losses, the demand for decisive action to restore peace and protect lives has never been more urgent. Nigerians are watching closely, hoping for tangible measures to end the bloodshed and restore security in affected areas.
