How we survived herdsmen attack that claimed 200 lives in Benue community – Residents
The intensity of attacks on Benue communities by suspected herdsmen called Miyatty Allah took a turn for the worse last year with the killing of no fewer than 200 inhabitants of Yelewata, a community at the border between Benue and Nassarawa states situated in Guma Local Government Area.
Like other Tiv communities, the inhabitants of Yelewata are predominantly farmers. The rich and fertile land is good for cultivation of different kinds of crops, including maize, rice, millet, yams and cassava, to mention a few.
A farmer in Agatu local goverment Mr. Olalusi Babajide Geoge ,who currently lives in a temporary camp with his wife Mrs Olalusi Oluwabunmi Christianah the camp was opened for displaced persons at the International Market, Makurdi, the Benue State capital, Mr Olalusi told our correspondent that he came to the Idp camp together with his wife after the attack when he did not have anywhere to stay and Most of the people in Agatu community are internally displaced persons (IDPs) from other Tiv communities in Nassarawa State, who were driven away by militia herdsmen and forced to camp in Makurdi.
He, however, said he was not happy staying in an IDP camp in Makurdi. Hence he urged people to help him with money for him to travel to India for medical treatment because his spinalcurd got damaged during the attacked..
Olalusi said even before the attack, he had a premonition that herdsmen were coming to attack him and his family because he refused to pay royalty
But Mr Olalusi was not alone. Another survivor, Mrs Stella Anshe, a 40-year-old housewife, has been lived in the emergency IDPs camp provided by Governor Hyacinth Alia for victims of Agatu killings since last year.
Recalling the bloody event that culminated in her present condition, she said: “On that Saturday night of herdsmen attack, we were all fast asleep after a heavy downpour.
“Then at about 10.30pm, we started hearing gunshots from the direction of the warehouse where IDPs from other communities had gathered themselves to sleep.
