No fewer than 11 out of the 18 people killed on Christmas Day last year at Anwase Community in Turan, Kwande Local Government Area (LGA), Benue State, are for burial today, Wednesday, 8th January, 2025, TNT learnt.
The 18 people were killed by armed men suspected to be herdsmen militia, and those whose bodies were badly mangled and decomposed were earlier buried, it is further learnt.
Locals say the attacks caused havoc on the hilly community, leaving behind dozens of lifeless bodies, with many sustaining injuries, children abducted, houses torched and the only Government Secondary School in Turanland, located at Anwase “pitifully torched.”
The New Times gathered that bodies of the victims of the Christmas Day attack were deposited at a hospital in Jato-Aka where they will be removed today, escorted and family of victims provided security cover for the remains to be buried by their respective families.
Those listed to have been killed by the attacks and are for burial today include Mike Azege; Anyisa Akpa; Ausa Imbior; Iornunbe Tse; Zaki Ashivor; Jim Ieekwagh; Ijeyol Ieekwagh; Vanen Iorvihi; Orwua Abur Hwande; Mbailuve Tyohemba; Terhemba Tyohemba.
Speaking to newsmen over the ceaseless scourge of unprovoked attacks on Turan communities which have unfolded a tragedy of monumental proportions, the Turan Consultative Forum through Prof Philip Abachi and Dennis Ayaga call on government at all levels and the security agencies to provide more security personnel in the troubled areas to give confidence to the fleeing indigenes who are now refugees without shelter, food and basic medication to return to their ancestral homeland and continue with their farming business.
While calling on the state and federal ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to quickly come to the aid of the victims by providing relief materials to lessen their burden, the forum further urge the government at the centre to facilitate the establishment of a military base in Turan axis which is a border community with the Republic of Cameroon to forestall internal and external reoccurrence of the unfortunate attacks as done on border corridors internationally.
Some prominent persons in the area, including Dr. Joseph Akanyi, Dr. Akombor Ande Akomor, and Elder Jerry Yashi, appealed for the siting of telecommunication services in the area which will help in quick information gathering and sharing pointing out that if such facility were in the area, the fatality recorded on 25th December last year would have been minimal or totally averted.
The Police denies knowledge of any event of such nature taking place in Kwande today.
Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor of Benue State, Mr. Tersoo Kula has not responded to questions by TNT, with regards to the burial as at press time.
