Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen on Wednesday killed three persons in the Mbasombo community of Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State.
The spokesperson for the state police command, Sewuese Anene, confirmed the incident to journalists on Thursday in Makurdi.
She said: “Three persons were killed and some injured while the attackers razed several houses.
“Security operatives have been deployed in the area.”
A resident of the village, John Terwase, said the heavily armed invaders stormed the community under the cover of darkness, shot indiscriminately, and burnt several houses.
He said the attack caused panic throughout the community, with many residents fleeing into surrounding bushes and nearby villages.
Terwase said: “We were already asleep when we heard gunshots coming from the direction of the farmlands.
“At first, we thought it might be thieves, but then the shooting became intense.
“We ran with our children, some without shoes, into the night. I have not seen my younger brother since then.
“This is a massacre, not just an attack. Our village is seven minutes from Makurdi, the state capital. If we are not safe here, where are we supposed to be safe?”
© Ripples Nigeria