By Peter Duru, Makurdi

At least three persons were reportedly killed in a fresh attack by a combined gang of local bandits and Fulani herdsmen on Yoyo community in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, LGA of Benue state.

Vanguard gathered that attack which took place in the early hours of Wednesday also left several persons injured while many have fled their homes for fear of being killed.

According to source in the area the “gunmen made up of late Gana’s men and Fulani herdsmen stormed the community at about 2am and started shooting sporadically and those killed were making attempt to flee when they were gunned down and several others sustained injuries.”

Contacted, the Chairman of Katsina-Ala LGA, Mr. Alfred Atera who confirmed the attack and the alliance between late Gana’s loyalists and Fulani herdsmen said, “we heard that Gana’s boys are currently in alliance with some herdsmen to attack our villagers.

“That is what they are doing now. Late in the night, I heard that the herdsmen in alliance with Gana boys went to attack people in Yoyo and I was told that three people were killed.

“The information at our disposal is that anytime Gana boys want to attack any community they plan it with the herdsmen who help them carry out the attack. They invite the herdsmen to come and cause mayhem in the land; and we learnt they are living together in the bush.

“For now, we have calmed the situation. We have combed the entire place and we are not allowing them to cluster in one place again. Anywhere that we see that they have formed a camp, we will destroy it so as not to allow them settled to plan attacks as they threatened.”

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent, SP, Catherine Anene said she was yet to receive details of the attack.