A survivor, who gave his name simply as Oche, said the herdmen arrived the village between 5am and 6am and started attacking them in their houses.
Oche did not give the number of those wounded but he claimed to have seen 80 dead bodies being evacuated by security operatives and volunteers.
He said,“They came with arrows, locally-made guns and knives when most of us were still asleep and started killing us . It was a very bad day for us. I believe that those killed are between 95 and 100 as I counted up to 80 bodies being taken away by people in uniform.”
“Most of those slaughtered were women, children and the aged. Almost all the houses in the community were razed by the attackers.”
But the state Police Commissioner, Hyacinth Dagala, who confirmed the attacks, said records before him showed that 30 people had been confirmed dead .
He added that he had already directed the Area Commander to ensure that adequate security was provided in the area.
A lawmaker representing Apa/Agatu in the state House of Assembly, Audu Sule, said that over 60 bodies were evacuated from the village.
The lawmaker, who said the survivors were now taking refuge in Obagaji/Ogbalu, the headquarters of Agatu LGA, claimed that the herdsmen escaped to Nasarawa State after the attack.
The Benue State Peoples Democratic Party deputy governorship candidate, John Ngbede, said on the telephone that the Federal Government needed to station troops in communities in the state prone to attacks by herdsmen.
A female lawyer and activist, Sonia Ajoko, called on the state and federal governments to immediately send relief materials to the survivors.
Ajoko said, “The loss is monumental going by what we heard. Women and children and the elderly were killed. I therefore call on governments at all levels to declare a day of mourning and commiseration with the bereaved families.”
On February 11, 2015, about 30 people were feared killed with many sustaining varying degrees of injuries in the Logo LGA of Benue State, after suspected Fulani herdsmen sacked over 24 communities and villages in the area.
Some of the affected communities were Chembe, Tse-Mue, Tse-Shigbe, Mgbakpa and Oragbai all in the Ukemberagya council ward, which is four kilometers away from Anyiin, Governor Gabriel Suswam’s country home.
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Crime