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From Scholastica Onyeka Makurdi
No fewer than eight people were reportedly killed in the last two days by bandits in two communities of Chitto and Gbeji, in Ukum Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State.
Daily Sun gathered that the people were killed when two rival bandit groups engaged themselves in a killing spree. It was also gathered that the bandits, who went on rampage, also burnt down a market in the area.
Locals from the area, who didn’t want to be named, said five people were killed in Chitto on Monday, while another three were killed in Gbeji yesterday. The locals, who disclosed that killings were still ongoing at the time of filing this report, yesterday, said: “Five people were killed yesterday in Chitto, a suburb of Ukum LGA by bandits.
“They burnt the market. It was a different attack from that of the livestock guard commander, who was killed in Tine Nune. Four were killed in Chitto and one killed in the suburbs of Chitto in two different attacks, making five people. There are no LG chairmen in place to give directives and the Director, General Services and Administration (DGSA) are sometimes not from that very LG, so everything is just like that,” one of the locals said.
Another source from Ukum LG also told newsmen that the bandits killed three people yesterday, along Sankera-Chitto road.
He said: “To the best of my knowledge, the bad guys are fighting themselves. I think that is the summary of what is happening there. One faction is facing the other. We have a presence in Zaki-Biam, and, yet, they continue to operate like this. It is unfortunate,” he lamented.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benue State Police Command, SP Catherine Anene, said she was yet to get the information.
Meanwhile, a member of the Benue State House of Assembly, representing Ukum State Constituency, Engr. Ezra Nyiyongo, confirmed the report, saying security operatives in the area said three bodies have been recovered so far.
