Gunmen Invade Benue Community, Kill 18

Gunmen attacked Ukohol community of Guma Local Government Area of Benue State killing 18 locals on Thursday.

This was made known by the security adviser to the chairman of the local government Christopher Waku.

Waku said that the attackers stormed the area about 5pm on Thursday, which was a village market day, when traders were still in business.

Waku revealed that locals were still searching for missing persons.

Waku’s counterpart of Guma Council, Mike Ubah told journalists in Makurdi that 18 people were killed, adding that the attackers who dressed in black, started shooting people in the market, killing 10 on the spot and moved to three nearby villages and killed eight more.

“The worst of it all is that they even killed children below the age of two years.”

He said for the prompt response of security operatives, the casualties would have been more than this.

“It was a market day, they (attackers) went there and started shooting. What is happening now is that they are trying to distabilise people from their villages and settlements for them to occupy those areas and be grazing in the night. No villages are spared and the whole 10 council wards in Guma are affected,” the council chairman said.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, SP Catherine Anene, is yet to give insights into the attack.