Three villagers working on their farms in the Ogbaulu community of Agatu Local Government Area of Benúe State were reportedly killed by bandits on Saturday.
In a phone interview with journalists on Saturday, a local with knowledge of the incident revealed that the victims had been working at their individual farms on Friday afternoon when the bandits attacked them.
“Three persons were slaughtered again by unknown gunmen on Friday at their farms in Ogbaulu community,” a local who preferred anonymity said.
Yakubu Ochepo, the Chairman of Agatu LGA, confirmed the attack and stated that the attackers entered through the neighboring Apa LGA and killed the victims by hacking them.
The chairman said, “It’s true the incident happened on Friday and the attackers came through Apa LGA, two of the deceased were natives of Agatu while the other victim hailed from Apa LGA.
The LGAs of Otukpo and Apa Agatu were recently among those most severely affected by bandit attacks.
His Royal Majesty, the Och’Idoma, Dr. John Eliagwu Odogbo, the paramount ruler of the Idoma nation, denounced the recent wave of attacks within Agatu and its surroundings, expressing his distress over the ongoing killings and attacks in his domain.
Read Also:
In a statement, his media aide Onuminya Odoba said that the royal father was saddened by the three people who were allegedly killed on their farms.
The news that people were being killed by as-yet-unidentified assailants while they were going about their legal business deeply disturbed the monarch, he said.
“Agaba-Idu calls on the Police and local vigilantes to nip this trend on the sprout, investigate, and bring culprits to answer for the crime as humanity.
“Agaba-Idu assures all law-abiding persons in Idoma land of peaceful living within the kingdom, and is working round the clock with his Council of Chiefs in collaboration with government agencies to ensure people live and do businesses within our lands in peace, safety, and prosperity,” the statement read in parts.
The Police Public Relations Office’s Catherine Anene’s phone rang out when attempts were made to reach her regarding the most recent incident in Agatu.
26 people were slain by bandits in three separate communities in the state’s Gwer West Local Government Area in April.
Six members of the state security units known as the “Benue State Community Volunteer Guards and Livestock Guards” were among the victims. They had been called in to provide security for a family who had gone to bury a loved one.
