Scores killed in early morning terrorist attack on Benue communities
Scores of residents of Akpachi and Otukpo-Nobi communities in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State were killed on Sunday morning following a suspected terrorist attack.
In a statement on Sunday, Tersoo Kula, spokesman for Governor Hyacinth Alia, condemned the attack.
He said the terrorists invaded the two villages between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. while residents were asleep.
He described the attack as not only a breach of peace but also “a barbaric and inhuman assault on the sanctity of life and the collective soul of the people of Benue State.”
“The attackers killed scores of people, while many others sustained varying degrees of injuries,” he said.
He noted that the governor was particularly saddened that the attack occurred at a time when the state government had been working closely with traditional rulers and security agencies to foster lasting peace and harmony.
“These acts of mindless bloodshed are a direct attempt to sabotage the progress of our state,” he said.
Mr Kula quoted the governor as saying he shared in the grief and anger of the people of Otukpo and the entire Benue South senatorial district, adding that their lives are precious and assuring them that their ancestral lands would not be surrendered to fear.
He added that the people of the state had consistently demonstrated remarkable restraint and a commitment to peace, warning that such restraint should never be mistaken for weakness.
“My government stands firmly with you, and we will not allow our communities to be turned into killing fields,” the governor was quoted as saying.
Mr Kula said the governor had directed security agencies to intensify surveillance and patrols across the affected communities and border areas.
He also ordered security agencies to pursue the perpetrators relentlessly, ensure their arrest and prosecution, and deploy additional personnel and resources to protect vulnerable communities and prevent further attacks.
The governor sympathised with the bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured in the attack.
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