•File photo of a herder
Five days after the attack on some communities in the Katsina Ala Local Government Area of Benue State, people of the affected communities have yet to return to their ancestral homes, as domestic animals have taken over their abode.
Recall that the Chairman of Katsina Ala, Alfred Atera, on Monday alleged that over 100 people were killed in an attack on four wards of the council.
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Atera identified the wards attacked by suspected herdsmen in connivance with local bandits to include Yoyo, Utange, Mbatyu/Mberev and Mbayongo.
But both the military and police denied the attack.
The Commander of Operations Whirl Stroke, Brig Gen. Clement Akpere, had said the narrative was not true, while a spokesperson for the police, Catherine Anene, said she was not aware of it.
But giving an update on the attack on Wednesday, Atera said he visited Utange on Tuesday, adding that the community was deserted.
The council boss lamented that only domestic animals were in the area.
He said, “All the houses in the ward are intact, but there is no human being there. All I saw were domestic animals. The locals ran away from their ancestral homes; it is that bad.”
The chairman explained that several thousands of people were displaced in the attack.
He said, “The displaced people are in their thousands. If you go to Abaji up to Tor Donga, everywhere is filled with human beings who ran from their communities.
“The people told me that Fulani people were in the bush chasing them, though I did not see any of them.
“There are people taking refuge in Abaji, Tor Donga and Haaga. They are occupying these places and villages that are close to the major road for fear of being killed.”
