At least 23 farmers and villagers have been k!lled in a series of coordinated attacks on some communities in Logo, Kwande, Ukum and Guma Local Government Areas of Benue State. It was gathered that eight farmers were hacked to d3ath in the early hours of Saturday at Jootar, a community in Ukum LG. The victims, who had slept over in the area, were reportedly attacked while heading to their farms in the morning. Among those k!lled in Jootar are a father, Joseph Sevav Yagba and his son, Destiny, a 200 level student of the Federal University Wukari. The farmers were k!lled on their way to the farm. But we cannot confirm whether the k!llers were armed herders or Jukun militia, a source said. Jootar, a border community between Taraba and Benue states, has been a flashpoint of conflict between the Tiv and Jukun ethnic groups. In another attack on Friday, suspected armed herders invaded Ayilamo community in Logo LG, k!lling nine people. Similar attacks in Kwande and Guma LGAs claimed three lives each, bringing the total number of casualties to 23. The state Commissioner for Information, Mathew Abo, confirmed the Jootar incident. He however could not confirm the other k!llings in Guma, Logo, and Kwande LGAs. The report I received is that eight farmers were k!lled in Jootar early Saturday morning on their way to the farm. The area is a border community between Tiv and Jukun, and there has been an ongoing crisis between the two groups. We cannot say for sure who was responsible, he said.
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