by Nurat Uthman
Thirty persons have been reported killed in Ayati village of Ukum Local Government area in Benue state, by bandits who stormed the farming community in the evening of Thursday, 8th August 2024.
An eyewitness identified as Shima Ayati said more persons may have been killed but only thirty corpses have been recovered as more than 60 bandits stormed Ayati village, shooting anything in sight.
“They came on motorcycles from Sai road at about on Thursday evening, and immediately open fire on residents of Ayati village, killing more than thirty persons as many people are still missing, but only thirty corpses have been recovered”.
Ayati further noted that “The bandits were hunting people from one house to another, shooting and killing many people with some killed on the spot, while others died on their way to the hospital in Zaki Baim with many injuries recorded on the part of survivors.
“The bands after killing and burning houses, left the community through Sai road to escape, but we believe more bodies may be in the bush as many people are still missing”.
Ayati village is one of the many farming communities in the dreaded Sankera axis of Benue state, comprising of Katsina-Ala, Logo and Ukum local government areas.
This is the second attack on Ayati village within one month. Six persons were killed in an earlier attack, leading to last month’s violent protests in Zaki Biam.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police, Sewuese Aneene in a chat with journalists on the police’s official WhatsApp platform for journalists in Benue state, confirmed the attack but could not tell the casualty figure on account of sketchy details from the scene of attack by the police response team.
“I’m aware there was an attack and I’m waiting for a briefing from officers on ground”.
Killings by bandits and local militia have crippled the Benue food and agro-allied hub, contributing to the nations rising food inflation which is above 40% in the latest figures released by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics
