4 killed, others injured as gunmen attack mourners in Benue

By JOHNSON BABAJIDE, Makurdi

No fewer than four people were murdered by gunmen in the early hours of Saturday at Adigi community in Mbayatyo Mbater council ward of Logo local government area of Benue State.

Five other people were reportedly injured when gunmen invaded the community and shot at people who had gathered for the wake of an elderly woman, Mama Achin Agidi.

While some locals in the community said that the gunmen were suspected to be local militias, the council chairman, Agber Isaac said the attacks were suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.

The incident, according to the native happened around 2:00 am on Saturday when the mourners were at the wake.

According to one of the natives who did not want to be named for fear of attack said, “The gunmen came in their number and shot in the midst of sympathizers who were in the wake of Mama Achin, this made people run helter-skelter.

“At about 6:00 am this morning we didn’t hear anything again, we returned to the village and saw many people critically injured while four people were killed,” the local source who did not want to be mentioned told our correspondent.

Meanwhile, the chairman of Logo local government, Agber Isaac told our Sunday Tribune on the phone that the attack happened about 2 am Saturday morning.

He said, “the people were in the wake of an elderly woman who died at Agidi they (mourners) never knew what has happened, they shot sporadically in the air and a stray bullet hit some people.

“Four people died and five people were critically injured and have been taken to General Hospital, Ugba,(headquarters of Logo local government)”

When asked those behind the attack, the council meeting said that Fulani herdsmen were fingered to have been behind the attack.

According to Isaac, “The attackers were not local militias, though it is too early for people to know those involved.

“But the villagers claimed that they had a squabble with the Fulani herdsmen at their settlement area, the place is waterlogged.

“The grass there is green so when the people had squabbles with them (Fulani herdsmen) they drove them away, this happened more than a week ago.”

Efforts to get the State Command spokesperson, DSP Catherine Anene were not successful as she did not pick up her cell phone. (Saturday Tribune)