No fewer than 23 dead bodies were recovered early on Wednesday after gunmen opened gunfire on residents of Gbeji rural town in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
The victims include 17 villagers, five herders and one policeman.
Eyewitnesses said the incident, which happened around 1:00am had caused the Gbeji dwellers to desert their homes in droves as at Wednesday afternoon.
A resident of the area who spoke to newsmen, said that among the people killed was one policeman drafted to quell the attacks on the villagers.
When contacted, the state Commissioner of Police, Wale Abass, said the attack was carried out by herdsmen who were on a revenge mission for the killing of their five kinsmen within the past two days in separate incidences around the border villages of Benue and Taraba States.
Abass, however, confirmed a total of 10 people killed including five herdsmen, one policeman and four villagers.
“We had to mobilise our men to contain the situation from escalating and ensure that normalcy is restored to the area. Altogether, 10 people were killed and 15 injured. No arrest has been made so far,” the police commissioner said.