Pain and sorrow still full ground as families dey cry over their loved ones wey die after suspected herdsmen attack Yelwata community for Guma Local Government Area, Benue State.
The attack start late night on Friday, June 13, and continue enter early morning of Saturday, June 14. Over 100 people don confirm say dem die, but some reports even talk say na close to 200.
One man, Tsegba Gbam Ayua, lose him wife and four children. As e tell Daily Trust for Makurdi:
“I don already run commot from Ayua for Nasarawa State since over two years, na why I dey take shelter with my family for Yelwata. Few days before the attack, I waka go Nasarawa do small work to support my people.
But around 11pm on Friday, person call me say attackers don enter our place. I rush come back early Saturday, but na nightmare I meet. My wife and four pikin burn to ashes inside the market stall where dem dey sleep. We recover over 100 bodies from the area.”
He talk say he bury him whole family same day and no even know how to handle the pain.
Another person, Prince Aondona Isaka Ornguga, wey be former SSA to ex-Governor Samuel Ortom, talk say 23 members of him family die for the same attack. Before, he post for Facebook say na over 15, but later confirm say na 23 in total, all from him mother's side.
He talk say:
“I talk to two of them — Victor Utim and Mathew Iormba — just three weeks ago. Dem be my first cousins. Victor just write JAMB and we dey try arrange admission for am. Mathew na pharmacist, he just go check on him small business.”
He lament say the way dem take kill them no get human feeling at all.
One survivor, Mama Victoria Tyobee, talk how she narrowly escape:
“We dey sleep around midnight when I hear gunshot. As I look window, I see one of the attackers stand for outside with gun. Before I fit think, I hear serious gunfire everywhere. The man run enter bush, and I later summon courage come out.
But my people no lucky — three of my relatives die that night. Na heavy sorrow wey we dey pass through.”
