Beyond the killings, the attackers reportedly looted shops and carted away millions of naira belonging to traders before setting sections of the market ablaze.
At least 16 people, including a unit commander of the Nigeria Mobile Police Force, have been confirmed dead following a brutal afternoon raid by suspected armed herdsmen on the Abande settlement in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.
The attack occurred on Tuesday at the Abande market in Mbaikyor Ward, Turan, while traders and buyers were in the heat of commercial activities.
Local sources told SaharaReporters that the marauders stormed the market in a commando-style operation, opening fire indiscriminately on the crowd.
Beyond the killings, the attackers reportedly looted shops and carted away millions of naira belonging to traders before setting sections of the market ablaze.
Mr. Lawrence Akerigba, a community leader and former supervisory councillor in Kwande LGA, confirmed the incident, describing the scene as a "bloody invasion."
“People were buying and selling when the herders attacked. They looted shops, took away large sums of money, and later set the market on fire,” Akerigba said as quoted by Arise TV.
According to the community leader, the bodies of the victims were recovered late Tuesday night.
“As of 11:55 pm, some of the victims’ bodies were conveyed to Jato-Aka by personnel of the Mobile Police Force stationed in the area,” he added.
Akerigba further revealed that the security forces also suffered a significant blow during the onslaught.
“A Mobile Police officer, said to be the unit commander on duty at the time of the attack, was also killed,” he stated.
The total death toll remains uncertain, as several residents are still missing. Search and rescue parties are reportedly combing the surrounding bushes for survivors or more bodies.
Benue State, particularly the Kwande and Agatu axes, has remained a flashpoint for violent clashes and coordinated attacks by suspected herders, leading to the displacement of thousands of locals and a deepening humanitarian crisis.
Efforts to reach the Benue State Police Command for an official statement were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.