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Gunmen kill three, injure journalist in Benue attack

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Gunmen burn several houses in fresh attack on Plateau community

Three passengers traveling from Katsina-Ala to Makurdi were killed on Monday by unknown gunmen who opened fire on their vehicle about five kilometres into their journey.

The Benue State correspondent of the Business Day Newspapers, Benjamin Agesan was also wounded in the attack that took place early in the morning.

A source in the area said the vehicle was ambushed at Ogboma a few kilometres from Kastina-Ala, adding that the gunmen shot indiscriminately at the vehicle and in the process punctured the tyres, making it to summersault.

Narrating the incidence, a colleague of the journalist, Jerry Iorngaem, said Agesan was returning from Katsina-Ala to Makurdi when they were ambushed by the gunmen.

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He said: “We learnt that the vehicle he (Agesan) later joined also conveyed produce collectors who were carrying a huge sum of money and were being trailed by the gunmen.

“Shortly after take-off, the gunmen trailed the vehicle to about 5km and shot sporadically at it and in the process punctured its tyres which caused it to summersault into the bush.

“They then ransacked the entire vehicle, killing three occupants while monies said to be in millions were also carted away by the gunmen, leaving the journalist in the pool of his blood.”

Agesan is currently receiving treatment at the State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi.

It would be recalled that Kastina-Ala axis had been a haven of criminals suspected to be gang members of the wanted notorious criminal, Terwase Akwuasa, aka Gana.

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