Gunmen invade Benue community, kill mother, three children

Four persons were reportedly murdered on Monday by suspected militias who stormed Okokolo community in Apopogolo, in the Ado Local Government Area of Benue State.

The attackers were reported to have come from Ngbo in Ebonyi State and hacked down the family of four people.

Recall that some border communities between Ebonyi and Benue communities had over the years embroiled in land dispute, leaving several people dead.

The victims of Monday’s attack were a woman and her three children whose ages were put between one and five years old.

The Chairman, Ado LGA, James Oche, in a telephone interview, said, “A child less than one year old, two children of less than five years, as well as their mother were murdered and their house burnt down by the militia men.

“Our military (Operation Whirl Stroke) and other security agencies have been overstretched. The Ebonyi government have established a police post and we are appealing to Benue State government to do same.”

Speaking on humanaritian crisis occasioned by borders dispute and attacks, the chairman said that there were over 1,000 displaced persons in the council area.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP, Catherine Anene, said she had yet to get the report.

(The PUNCH)