By A deadly attack has claimed the lives of thirty people in Ayati village, located within the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. The massacre occurred on the evening of Thursday, August 8, 2024, when a group of heavily armed bandits stormed the farming community, unleashing terror on its residents.
Eyewitnesses from the nearby Shima Ayati community reported that the bandits, numbering more than 60, arrived on motorcycles and indiscriminately opened fire on the villagers. According to one eyewitness who spoke with Channels Television, the attackers moved swiftly and ruthlessly, killing people in their homes and on the streets. “They came on motorcycles from Sai road at about 7 p.m. and immediately opened fire on residents of Ayati village, killing more than thirty persons as many people are still missing, but only thirty corpses have been recovered,” the witness recounted.
The attack continued unabated as the bandits moved from house to house, hunting down more victims. Some of the villagers were killed instantly, while others succumbed to their injuries on their way to the hospital in nearby Zaki Biam. The violence left many others seriously injured, and the number of missing persons continues to rise, with fears that more bodies may be found in the surrounding bushes.
In the wake of the attack, many survivors fled through Sai road, attempting to escape the carnage. However, the extent of the massacre suggests that the death toll could rise as the search for the missing continues. Ayati village, which lies in the Sankera axis of Benue State, has been a target of violence in recent months, with this incident marking the second attack on the community within a month. Six people were killed in a similar raid last month, which also led to violent protests in Zaki Biam.
The Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police Sewuese Anene, confirmed the attack via the police’s official WhatsApp platform. “I can confirm the attack but could not tell the casualty figure on the ground,” Anene stated. “We are aware there was an attack, and I’m waiting for a briefing from officers on the ground.”
The ongoing violence perpetrated by bandits in Benue State and other parts of Nigeria has had a devastating impact on local agriculture. The repeated attacks have crippled the farming economy, contributing significantly to the rising food inflation, which has soared above 40% according to the latest figures from the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics.
The recurring attacks in Benue State are part of a broader pattern of violence across Nigeria, where banditry and communal conflicts have resulted in thousands of deaths and displaced countless families. The government’s response to these security challenges remains a subject of intense debate as communities continue to suffer from the relentless assaults on their livelihoods and safety.
Channelstv.com
