By Amos Aar
THE BENUE State Police Command has refuted reports circulating on social media that herdsmen attacked Wannune community in Tarka Local Government Area of the State on Friday evening, June 21, 2025.
In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Edet Udeme, the Command described the viral claims as false and misleading, urging members of the public to disregard them and rely on credible sources for accurate information.
According to the statement, police received a report around 8:00 p.m. on Friday that one Aondohemba Yayough had been shot dead along Akume Road in Wannune.
“A team of detectives was immediately dispatched to the scene, where residents identified the assailant as one Saater Aii, said to be an ex-convict,” the statement said. “Though he was disarmed by local security operatives, the suspect managed to escape.”
The police confirmed that two other persons sustained injuries during the attack and are currently receiving treatment at a medical facility. An AK-47 rifle used in the crime was recovered at the scene, while efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspect are ongoing.
“The incident was purely a criminal act and has no connection with herdsmen,” DSP Udeme clarified. “There was no report or evidence of herdsmen presence in Wannune.”
She advised the public to exercise caution in spreading unverified information and to rely on official channels for updates.
Mr Yayough was former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Tarka local government and a one time youth leader of the local government.
Sources from Wannune disclosed that Yayough was first attacked in his house last year but he escaped narrowly while his wife was killed in the process.
