A survivor of the Benue attacks, James Igbudu yesterday described how Fulani herdsmen attacked one of the communities and killed his uncle in the process.

Igbudu told Punch correspondent that his uncle, Julius Ntwangwa, who worked with the Benue State Agriculture and Rural Development Agency, was among those killed by the herdsmen and his corpse was dumped at the back of the house.

“The herdsmen were moving out of Benue State through the road connecting Benue State and Nasarawa State when they decided to block the road. The road is between Umuange and Barkin Kota. They attacked the people who came for the New Year celebration. They butchered a lot of them that night.

“We managed to sleep till Tuesday morning. We thought they would not return. However, this morning, I was sleeping when I heard sudden screaming.

“Immediately I woke up, I heard a gunshot. I quickly held my mother and two children as there was confusion in the village. There were a lot of old people around. We jumped into the bush, from where we burst out to the main road. As we burst out, there were gunshots at our back.

“I went to that village, which is close to the governor’s town, and saw nine corpses. They brought them to Gbadima Hospital. My uncle, Julius Ntwangwa, who had come to celebrate the New Year, was also killed.”