The Commander of a special military task force known as “Operation Whirl Stroke” has confirmed that there was an attack at Agatu Community in Benue early on Wednesday.
Maj.-Gen. Adeyemi Yekini said in a statement that the number of people killed had not yet been ascertained but that troops had been deployed to the area to restore peace.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the special military outfit is charged with the task of flushing armed groups out of Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba.
Yekini said: “I received a report this afternoon that some people were killed in Agatu by suspected armed bandits.
“I’m not sure of the number of casualties yet but I don’t think it’s up to 16. We have sent a patrol team to the general area where the incident happened.
“The location where it happened, although in Benue but can better be accessed through Loko in Nasarawa State. We are sending a patrol team there to verify what really happened.”
Agatu and many other farming communities in Benue have witnessed repeated armed attacks in recent years in deadly episodes blamed on herdsmen.
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