Gunmen suspected of being bandits attacked the Mbacher settlement in Mbacher Council Ward, Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State, killing 18 persons on Friday.
According to local government sources, the gunmen attack occurred at 11:00 p.m., despite the state government-imposed curfew.
The bandits are believed to have assembled the villagers with the intention of addressing them before opening fire.
Recall that two weeks ago, Benue State Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia ordered a 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. curfew in the Sankera axis following a violent demonstration in Ukum LGA. The Sankera axis, which includes Katsina-Ala, Ukum, and Logo, has been a hotbed for criminal activity in the state.
According to the source, the military retrieved 18 bodies on Saturday morning.
Justine Shaku, Chairman of Katsina-Ala LGA, confirmed the event and stated that the bandits concluded their attack before the troops arrived.
Shaku said:
“At about 11:00 pm yesterday (Friday), we received a distress call from the villagers that a group of terrorists were moving from house to house, forcing people to follow them.
“I quickly mobilized the military officers in Tor Doonga, but due to the remote location, the attack was over by the time they arrived.”
Shaku also stated that other persons were injured during the incident.
“I was told it was 17, but today 18 people have been confirmed dead. All of them were assembled in one place and killed,” he noted.
The gunmen’s activities were labelled as “local terrorism” by the council chairman, who noted that their methods were similar to guerilla warfare.
“I no longer call them bandits because I’m seeing elements of terrorism in their activities.
“They are terrorists within, though they have external forces aiding them. The locals are the major perpetrators,” Shaku added.
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