Abagena, Waku attacks survivors’ tales of woes, as death toll hits 10

1 year ago

Abagena, Waku attacks survivors’ tales of woes, as death toll hits 10

The death toll in last Thursday’s attack on Waku village, Guma Local Government Area, and Abagena community in the outskirts of Makurdi, by suspected armed herdsmen, has risen to 10.

Meanwhile, some of the survivors have recounted their ordeals. One woman narrated how her 25-year-old son was shot in her presence.

Some of the survivors, including children and women, who are currently receiving treatment at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, BSUTH, Makurdi, are battling for their lives after being shot several times and macheted by the invaders.

The survivors, who recounted their ordeals when they spoke to Vanguard from their hospital beds, said it was a miracle that they were still alive to tell their stories.

‘It’s a miracle I’m alive’

Mrs. Eunice Uwua, from Waku village, said the marauders attacked her village earlier in the day around 4p.m. on Thursday.

She said they then moved to Abagena, where nine persons were also killed, lamenting that she was in the farm with her son when the marauders stormed the community.

“I saw that they were Fulani people. They came to meet us in the farm and shot my son.

“They killed him in my presence.

“I was lucky to have escaped alive. When they shot me near my waist, I fell. They left me for dead, but I was lucky that my husband, who also ran, eventually came with others and rescued me,” she said.

Also, 48 years old mother of five, Mnena Gbashaor, whose husband was also killed, could not hold back tears as she narrated how her husband was murdered in cold blood.

She said: “They killed my husband, my father in-law, his wife, and their children.

“In all, six persons were killed in our family. After killing them they still shot my three-year-old son, Miracle, on his back and the bullet affected his intestine.

“I am worried because my innocent son is in critical condition.

“I only escaped through the mercy of God because the man who pointed his gun to shoot me only discovered that he had no bullet left.

“He was distracted and I ran into the newly-constructed gutter on the highway to hide.”

Another survivor, 13-year-old Primary Four student, Emberga, who had his right arm chopped off, cried uncontrollably as he narrated his ordeal.

According to him: “We were waiting to eat our night food when the Fulani came and started shooting sporadically.

“Everybody ran. One of them shot me in the leg and, when I fell, he used his cutlass to cut off my hand.

“I was later rescued by the police, when they left,” he said.

Also, 14-year-old Terkimbi Kwaver, who had one of his ears chopped off, with multiple cuts, could hardly speak.

He laid motionless, but his wailing mother said they stayed in the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, to ensure their safety.

“But they still came and attacked us after sacking us from our villages.

“Now my innocent son is fighting for his life for no fault of his. This is not fair.

“We did not do anything to the Fulani people to warrant this type of treatment in our own land,” she cried.