Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen on Tuesday killed more than ten people in Eggon community of Gidan Gambo in Lafia East Development Area of Nasarawa State.
Punch reports that the assailants, who were said to be armed with sophisticated weapons like AK 47 rifles, defied an early morning rain to unleash terror on the people. It was reported that about 40 houses were burnt while several people reportedly sustained various degrees of injuries.
A resident of Gidan Gambo, who gave his name as Likita Alaku, said the attack was the latest in the series of attacks on the communities by suspected Fulani herdsmen. He said the assailants who were over 400 in number stormed the village at about 6.am and started shooting sporadically, killing anyone on sight and burning houses at the same time.
“We woke up with heavy rain and saw many Fulani people with AK 47 rifles surrounding the village and they started shooting in all directions and burning houses,’’ Alaku said.
The witness, who managed to escape the attack unhurt, urged both the federal and state government as well as security operatives to disarm the rampaging Fulani gunmen in order to stop further killings of innocent people.
When contacted, the state’s police spokesman, ASP Umaru Numan, confirmed the attack, but insisted that it was only one person that lost his life.
Meanwhile, Fulani herdsmen have been on the rampage in the northern part of the country. It would be recalled that on August 27, 2014, forty people were reportedly killed in two separate attacks following a renewed crisis between Eggon ethnicity and Fulani herdsmen in Nasarawa State.
Also on September 14, 2014, suspected herdsmen allegedly attacked Tunari village in Wukari Local Government of Taraba State, and killed no fewer than twenty persons and injures scores of others.
In April, herdsmen reportedly slaughtered 77 People in an attack in Wukari, Taraba State, while in July 2014, Fulani Herdsmen also reportedly attacked christian worshipers in Kaduna State.