Residents of Mbator in Shangev-Tiev, Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State, said soldiers have killed more than 70 innocent persons and destroyed several of their communities.
FirstNews learnt that the development followed the killing of 11 soldiers by unknown gunmen in the area.
Two villages, Bonta of Mbator in Shangev-Tiev, Konshisha LGA and Okpute-Ainu, in Oju LGA, which often engage in land tussle, few days ago resumed their fight over land.
Some soldiers were deployed to the area to arrest the situation only for 11 of them to be killed by unknown gunmen in the area.
The development, it was learnt, led to the invasion of the communities by soldiers.
Speaking during a press conference in Makurdi, Benue capital, on Friday, a group known as Shangev-Tiev Assembly (STA), said that at least 15 other surrounding communities have been destroyed by the military since the aerial and ground raid against the villagers began three days ago.
Speaking on behalf of the group, one Elder Tyoh Jude, said: “The army has so far razed and demolished farms, schools, hospitals and residences of Bonta, Tse-Jembe, Tse-Anyom, Gbinde, Mbaakpur, Aku, Agidi, Gungul, Adoka, Guleya, Awajir, Shiliki, Achoho and Ullam in Gwer Local Government Area, and are still planning to do same to other neighbouring towns within Konshisha LGA.
“Our unarmed people are being killed intentionally in large numbers by armed personnel of the Nigerian Army. Presently, over 70 persons are reported dead and more than 100 people are missing, mostly women, children and the elderly and hundreds of thousands displaced with its attendant humanitarian consequences.”
STA appealed to the Federal Governments to prevail on the army to stop the alleged ongoing killings of their people.
It also pleaded with the government of Benue State to ensure that the land under dispute is amicably demarcated.
STA added, “A panel of enquiry to include civil society organizations should be setup to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the crises and the roles of the military. Anyone found wanting should be punished in accordance with the laws of the land. Compensations should be given to all victims in Shangev Tiev.”