Fresh attacks linked to suspected armed herdsmen have once again plunged parts of Benue State into fear and uncertainty, following the burning of Anwase Market in Mbaikyor Council Ward of Kwande Local Government Area and renewed violence in Apa Local Government Area.
The latest attack occurred barely two days after a deadly assault on Abande community in the same Mbaikyor Ward, where over 17 persons were reportedly killed and several others injured, raising fresh concerns over escalating insecurity in the area.
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Eyewitnesses said the attackers stormed Anwase Market without warning, firing gunshots and setting shops on fire, forcing traders, farmers and buyers to flee in different directions to save their lives.
“They came suddenly and started shooting and burning the market. People abandoned their goods and ran for their lives,” a resident recounted.
Local sources said the inferno destroyed foodstuffs, farm produce and other merchandise worth millions of naira, leaving many traders devastated. Residents also alleged that there were no security personnel present at the time of the attack, allowing the assailants to operate unhindered.
Anwase Market is located close to Jato-Aka, the headquarters of Kwande Local Government Area, a development that has heightened anxiety among residents over the attackers’ growing boldness.
A community leader from Turan land, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the incident as part of a disturbing pattern of sustained attacks on Kwande communities.
“We are under siege. First Abande was attacked, now our market has been destroyed. People are tired and living in fear. We are appealing to the Benue State Government and security agencies to urgently deploy security personnel to restore confidence in our communities,” he said.
Meanwhile, suspected Fulani herdsmen were also reported to have launched coordinated attacks on Edikwu and Akpete communities in Apa Local Government Area of the state.
As of the time of filing this report, the number of casualties from the Apa attacks could not be independently confirmed, as residents said the violence was still ongoing.
A source from the area disclosed that inhabitants of Imana, Olegogba, Ugbobi and Edikwu communities have fled their homes for fear of further attacks.
“The attackers are allegedly camping in some of the deserted villages and using them as launch points to attack neighbouring communities,” the source claimed.
Efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer in Benue State, DSP Udeme Edet, for comments were unsuccessful as of press time.
The renewed violence has deepened fears of further displacement and humanitarian challenges in the affected areas, as residents continue to call for urgent security intervention to stem the tide of attacks across the state.
