Tension has gripped the Jato Aka Turan community in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State as armed herdsmen unleashed a wave of terror, killing at least 20 residents in a relentless two-day assault. The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members serving in the area are in a state of panic, pleading for urgent security intervention as they fear for their lives.
According to corps members who spoke with Sahara Reporters on Wednesday, the armed assailants carried out an uninterrupted attack between Sunday and Tuesday, leaving a trail of bloodshed and destruction. Despite the presence of a Nigerian Army base nearby, the community remains highly vulnerable, with security forces seemingly unable to stem the violence.
The corps members revealed that security in Jato Aka Turan is so dire that their Local Government Inspector (LGI) rarely visits, except for the mandatory monthly clearance exercise. They were allegedly told by the LGI that if the attacks escalated, they should relocate to Adikpo, a neighboring community.
A corps member serving in another part of the state relayed a distressing conversation with a colleague in Jato Aka Turan:
> “Our LGI hardly comes here. There are about 21 of us serving in Jato Aka Turan. We have reported the situation, but the only advice we received was to move if things worsen. But where do we go? Nowhere is safe!”
In a desperate bid for protection, the corps members approached the nearby military checkpoint, but their hopes were dashed when soldiers merely advised them to “call whenever there’s trouble.”
> “We see these armed herdsmen every day. More than 20 motorcycles, loaded with men carrying sophisticated weapons, ride past us heading to attack nearby villages,” a corps member lamented.
The attacks have not only affected corps members but have left the entire community in a state of despair. A Facebook user, Wase Richie Aondofa, posted harrowing images of the carnage, lamenting the loss of lives and property:
> “Pictorial evidence of attacks in my village, Jato Aka Turan, Kwande LGA, by Fulani herdsmen. Several lives lost, properties worth millions destroyed. We are calling on all relevant agencies to come to our rescue. We are dying! Jato Aka Turan is no longer safe.”
Similarly, a WhatsApp status update from a corps member in the community painted a grim picture:
> “Fulani herdsmen killed no less than 20 people between Sunday and Tuesday in a village near my PPA (Place of Primary Assignment). NYSC told us during camp, ‘No insecurity in Benue.’ Lies! This fight has been ongoing since 2014, and they know it. Today, a military helicopter flew over the school where I teach. The Nigerian Air Force bombed the area, and my students ran in fear.”
Efforts to get an official reaction from the Benue State Police Command hit a brick wall. When Sahara Reporters reached out to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Anene Sewuese Catherine, she rejected multiple calls and only responded with a cryptic text message:
> “Can’t talk now. What’s going on?”
As of the time of filing this report, she had yet to provide any official statement.
The ongoing bloodshed in Jato Aka Turan raises grave concerns about the safety of corps members and residents alike. Despite the presence of a military base, the attackers continue to operate with impunity. If urgent action is not taken, the lives of innocent civilians—including the young men and women serving their country through the NYSC—will remain at grave risk.
The people of Benue cry for help. The question remains: will the government act before more lives are lost?
PIONEER NEWS 