In escalating insecurity occurring in the Middle Belt, terrorists stormed Anwase Market in Benue State on Friday, killing 13 traders, abducting women and setting stalls ablaze.
The assailants emerged from a nearby mountain in the afternoon, firing shots indiscriminately and sending marketers into a frenzy of chaos as they fled for safety.
They looted valuables before igniting sections of the market and retreating back to the rugged terrain, leaving behind a trail of destruction and grief in Mbaikyor, Kwande Local Government Area.
An eyewitness recounted the horror, describing how the terrorists descended swiftly, turning a bustling trading hub into a scene of terror.
Local officials swiftly responded to the crisis.
An aide to Kwande LGA Chairman Vitalis Neji confirmed the death toll and noted that the chairman coordinated with security agencies to restore order and aid the affected community.
However, as evening fell, reports emerged that the terrorists continued their rampage, burning down homes in Anwase and nearby Mbaikyor, with no immediate security presence to intervene.
Residents expressed frustration over the lack of protection, amplifying calls for urgent intervention from the Nigerian Army.
This brazen assault follows a similar attack just days earlier on Abande Market in the same region, where terrorists killed at least 16 people, including a mobile police commander, during peak trading hours on Tuesday.
In that incident, the attackers invaded the market, gunned down civilians, ransacked shops for millions of naira, and set fires before escaping.
Community leaders evacuated bodies to Jato-Aka and searched for missing individuals, as many families abandoned their homes amid escalating fears.
Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the Abande attack vehemently, declaring that the terrorists “have dared the state and the Nigeria security system once more and must be attended to in the language they understand better.”
He extended condolences to the victims’ families, assuring Benue residents that his administration would intensify security operations and collaborate with federal authorities to apprehend the perpetrators.
“I stand with you in solidarity and compassion,” Alia stated, urging unity and resilience in the face of adversity.
Furthermore, these incidents underscore the persistent farmer-herder conflicts plaguing Benue State, which have claimed over 6,800 lives since 2023, according to Amnesty International data.
Kwande LGA, bordering Cameroon, has endured repeated strikes, including a devastating Christmas Day massacre in nearby Anwase in 2024 that killed more than 28 people.
As public outrage mounts on social media, with users decrying the government’s perceived inaction, experts warn that without decisive measures, the cycle of violence will persist, devastating local economies and displacing communities.
