11 killed, several others missing as gunmen attack Benue community

No fewer than 11 persons have been reportedly killed while many are unaccounted for, following a Good Friday attack by unknown armed men on people returning from church at Tse-Aye and Tse-Ngibo, Ikurav Tiev in Katsina Ala local government area of Benue state.

According to a Vanguard report, the attack was a fallout of the deep rooted rivalry and power tussle between the people of Shitile and other neighbouring communities in Sankera area of the state comprising Logo, Ukum and Katsina/Ala local government areas.

A highly placed government official who spoke on anonymity, said the crisis in the Sankera area of the state had overtime defiled all meaningful efforts by highly placed people of the areas to have it resolved because it was a creation of some unseen powerful hands in the area.

He said, “Only early this year, Shitile hoodlums attacked Ikurav people and killed 10 persons at Tse-Ujoh and elders of the community including the local government council chairman pleaded for calm and cautioned against any reprisal.

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“This time, people went for Good Friday Service and where on their way back when many of them were ambushed at Tse-Ngibo and Tse-Toraye where the hoodlums mounted a road block and killed 11 of them and several others are still missing.

 “The figure may be higher because nobody knows the whereabout of those missing but the fear is that they might have been killed as well because close to 40 persons are said to be missing.

“After killing the innocent victims they seized a vehicle from one of those killed and rustled several cows from the same village and went away with their loot.

“Incidentally these attacks have been recurrent of late, for a period of time now Ikurav have come under repeated attacks, sometimes young men in that community would be abducted at the border area for no reasons whatsoever and nobody will see or hear from them again.

“From available records this crisis can be tied to a battle for supremacy in Sankera and several innocent lives are being lost to a needless crisis and conflict.”

The Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke, Maj. Gen. Adeyemi Yekini confirmed communal conflict and the killings adding that he had already drafted his troops to the area to beef up security and restore calm.

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