Fresh tension has gripped Turan District in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State following a renewed assault by suspected armed herders that left two farmers dead and several settlements deserted.
The latest incursion, which occurred on Wednesday afternoon, reportedly began in Imande Avur and spilled into neighbouring Abande and Mbaikyor communities, triggering panic and mass displacement as residents fled to avoid further violence.
The victims, identified as Elder Abur Alam and his son, Ikyaa, were said to have been attacked while working on their farmland.
Locals described the duo as peaceful farmers who had no confrontation with anyone.
A former councillor from the area, Mr Lawrence Akerigba, confirmed the incident and decried what he called an unending wave of attacks across Turan.
“We are again mourning the loss of innocent lives. Two residents were killed and several communities are now deserted. People are living in fear,” he said.
According to him, the district has come under sustained assault for nearly two weeks, with daily reports of killings, razed farms and displaced households.
“Our people are dying almost every day and it seems as if no one is listening.
These attacks continue without any form of resistance or relief,” Akerigba lamented.
He criticised the slow response of security agencies, alleging that those affected have been left without assistance amid an escalating humanitarian challenge.
He urged both the state and federal governments to strengthen security, stop the killings and restore normalcy to the affected villages.
Efforts to get a reaction from the police proved abortive as Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, said she had yet to receive a briefing on the incident at the time of filing this report.