Several people in communities in the Moon Council Ward of Turan District, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, have reportedly abandoned their residents and farms after heavily armed invaders attacked the area.
The armed invaders were, however, overpowered and repelled by troops.
According to sources, the invaders launched an attack on farmlands, chasing farmers with firearms and displacing several residents.
A villager said, “the attack, which began around 4pm on Saturday, forced people from settlements to flee for their lives.”
One of the victims, Aondohemba Ahua, said the invasion was repelled after joint security forces in the area put up a stiff resistance.
Ahua noted that the number of casualties, if any, could not be confirmed due to the difficult terrain and poor road network in the district.
The spokesperson for the Benue Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, could not be reached for comment as of the time of this report.
However, a security operative attached to the area, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the incident.
He stated that it occurred between 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm on Saturday in Anyiase, the sparsely populated headquarters of the Moon council.
The security operative added that the attackers were successfully repelled by local vigilantes, who were complemented by other security personnel posted to the area.
