CULTISTS REPORTEDLY KILL EIGHT PEOPLE IN BENUE COMMUNITY
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By:Tajudeen Aminat
Suspected cultists have reportedly killed at least eight people in the Aliade Street area of Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity told the MEDIA that the attack occurred in the early hours of Monday.
“Some people invaded the street around 2 a.m. today and attacked residents in one of the houses, killing eight people,” the source said.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Makurdi Local Government Area, Joseph Keffi, said the attackers arrived on motorcycles between 2 a.m. and 2:30 a.m.
According to him, the assailants entered a compound on Aliade Street, woke up four occupants, and shot them dead.
He added that four others who came out after hearing gunshots were also killed.
“It is quite ugly and pathetic. The incident happened between 2 a.m. and 2:30 a.m., and it was cult-related,” Keffi said.
He further explained that the violence was linked to a cult clash, noting that a cult member who had sought refuge in the area was the target, but those killed were not members of any cult group.
“I have reported the incident to all the security agencies, and they have assured me that they will arrest all those responsible,” he said.
The chairman also disclosed that residents had identified one of the suspected cult leaders who has allegedly been terrorising Makurdi and surrounding communities for some time.
“He comes in, strikes, and disappears. Right now, he is not in the state. Whenever he returns, he could kill not less than 10 people and leave. We don’t know how he manages to escape,” he said.
“This is someone who was once arrested by the police and later released. We only hope the police will carry out proper investigations and ensure his re-arrest,” Keffi added.
He commended security agencies for their swift response, noting that the affected area had been cordoned off and that operatives were already tracking the attackers.
It was also gathered that the bodies of the victims have been deposited at the morgues of the Benue State University Teaching Hospital and a private hospital in Makurdi.
When contacted, the Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview with our correspondent but said the number of casualties was lower than the reported eight.
“The PPRO will release a statement on the cult-related incident later today, but according to our records, the death toll is not up to eight,” CP Emenari said.
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