Gunmen shot dead two soldiers, a village head, and six locals dead in Egwuma, Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State at about 5pm on Tuesday.
An anonymous local said the gunmen stole the soldiers’ weapons including a gun, after killing two of them and seriously injuring another.
A former member of the State House of Assembly representing Agatu constituency, Sule Audu, said two soldiers, the head of Egwuma and six villagers were killed during the attack on the community.
Audu said, “the incident happened between 4pm and 5pm on Tuesday. The bandits attacked Egwuma through the Akile axis, boycotting the road where soldiers were stationed. They opened fire on people in their houses. They killed the clan head of the village and six others as well as two soldiers and carted away soldiers’ arms.
“One of the soldiers was seriously wounded. They went back to the part of Agatu land that they are occupying; villages like Ogwumogbo, Ejuma, Akile, Okpogbolo, Okpiye, Echije. It was on Sunday that the people returned home after soldiers assured them of safety, then they were killed on Tuesday. The affected village had long been deserted following the bandits’ invasion. They would attack and run back to the villages they are occupying.”
Sule said the gunmen came through Nasarawa and Kogi states axis and had long besieged and taken over some communities in Agatu LGA, adding that the soldiers had been helpful in heading off the bandits’ attacks.
The state Police spokesperson SP Catherine Anene, said she was yet to receive report of the attack.
Also, the Nigerian Army had not reacted to the incident at the time of filing this report.
