Another 12 persons have been confirmed dead after suspected Fulani herdsmen, on Sunday, attacked and killed people in Ebonyi State.
The herdsmen were said to have attacked Odoke, Ndiobasi and Obakotara communities in Ebonyi local government area of the State.
Speaking with 9NEWS NIGERIA correspondent, a resident of the area said additional 12 bodies have been recovered, making the total of those killed to 42.
According to report, the ugly incident occurred around 3am on Sunday morning.
The affected communities share boundary with Ado Local Government area in Benue State.
A resident in the area, Uchenna Okpokwu said the herdsmen invaded his Community with guns and machetes.
“They came into Ndiobasi village and started slaughtering the people. After slaughtering them, they entered Odoke, from that Odoke, they went to Obapta.
“Currently, people that were slaughtered in Ndiobasi are up to 30 according to the video clips on the incident but Odoke and Obapta are very far and nobody was able to entered those two villages to capture those that were killed.
“When I received call from one of my villagers over the attack, he told me that the herdsmen are currently at Ojaba forest and that place is their hideout because there is no other way for them to escape. The herdsmen are currently in that forest as at the time I was called on phone.
“I was told our Local Government Chairman went with some security men but couldn’t get to the affected villages. If there is a way security agents will be sent to the affected villages, it will be good.
“Currently, I have been trying to reach my family members on phone but their lines are not through and all of them are in the village”, he said.
Another resident of the area, Onyibe Jeremiah lamented that no action was taken to protect the communities despite earlier warnings of the herdsmen impending attacks.
Hé said” One young man from Enugu state that saw the herdsmen when they were coming into the Ebonyi villages made the voice call that went viral to alert the state but it appears that it was ignored which was why these attacks were recorded despite the alert.
“Nobody took that voice serious and the herdsmen came and killed not less than 30 people now. They are currently attacking more villages”
