The death toll from the attack on Ayati Community, Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, has reached 74.
The outlaws alleged to have colluded with external armed invaders had attacked the rural community of Ayati on August 8, 2024, leaving over 30 people dead.
The casualty rose to 59 after search parties for missing persons discovered more bodies and in the days following, 15 others died in the hospital bringing the number to 74.
A list bearing names of victims as compiled by the community and made available to our correspondent in Makurdi on Sunday showed that 59 bodies were altogether recovered shortly after the attack while the remaining 15 later found and taken to hospital died between August 8 and August 12.
Our correspondent reports that the list also contained the records of another 40 people between July 18 2023 and July 2024.
Residents, however, said the August 8 massacre occurred after bandits in a large number launched an attack on Ayati, the headquarter of Borikyo ward.
A resident had told our correspondent on telephone that by the next day, over 50 people were killed were over 50 while efforts were going on to recover more dead bodies.
“Sadly, as we speak, even yesterday morning (Saturday, August 17) a decomposed body was found in the bush. It was one of the victims missing from the August 8 attack,” the resident who preferred anonymity added.
Chief Ayati Shima, a prominent politician from the community, who condemned the incident to our correspondent on telephone, decried the loss of lives and inability of the political class to curb the insecurity in the area.
Shima, an ex-governorship candidate, also said the list of victims compiled by the community was only a tip of the iceberg compared to the unreported security challenges facing his people.
He lamented that for such huge number of killings carried out in just one night attack on Ayati community inhabited by about 10,000 people, the government should be more proactive to prevent future occurrence, especially as pocket of killings by the outlaws had continued at farms and markets unnoticed or unreported.
The majority of those killed according to Shima were even displaced villagers from their neighbouring troubled surroundings who came to Ayati, being headquarters of their Borikyo ward for refuge.
“As we speak, Ayati has become deserted and this is not good. Benue earns its name as food basket of the nation basically because of the amount of food produce from our area. Now, farmers can no longer go to farm and the economy of the area has been affected by insecurity,” Shima said.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Benue Command, SP Catherine Anene, had earlier confirmed the incident, saying two policemen and 15 villagers were killed.
Anene however did not respond to calls or messages put through her telephone to comment on the update of the death toll.
Recall that the area, Ukum is one of three LGAs including Logo and Kastina-Ala in the Sankera ancestral bloc that has been plagued by armed outlaws for many years, despite several joint security operations aimed at eradicating gangsterism in the area.
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