Bandits on Friday night killed 18 persons, abducted three and injured many others in Mbacher council ward of Katsina-Ala Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue state.
It was gathered that the attack which took place at about 11 pm saw the bandits abducting a father and two of his children.
Recall that the state government had recently imposed a perpetual dusk to dawn curfew on the Sankera axis, Katsina-Ala LGA inclusive, shortly after the disturbance that erupted in Ukum LGA of the state, over the killing of some persons by herdsmen.
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Even as the Chairman Katsina-Ala LGA, Justine Shaku said he has informed the Benue State Commissioner of Police of the development, the Special Adviser on Internal Security, Chief Joseph Har, has also confirmed the report.
According to the chairman of the LGA, he received a distress call from the area and immediately mobilised security men to the area, but unfortunately, the bandits had already done the damage and disappeared, pointing out that the act was the handiwork of local militia in the area.
According to Shaku, “At about 11pm yesterday (Friday) we received a distress call from the villagers that some group of terrorists mobilised themselves and were moving house to house forcing people to follow them.
“I quickly mobilised military officers that are in Tor Donga and being a remote area before they could reach there the people were killed. Some were wounded. Yesterday I was told it was 17 (deaths), but today 18 bodies have been confirmed dead. All of them were assembled in one place and killed.
“This morning, I, the assembly member and adviser on legislative matters held a meeting and we communicated the development to the Commissioner of Police. He is on his way coming. Since he is coming we asked the villagers to wait for him to join us here in Katsina-Ala town before we proceed to the scene.
“It is a guerrilla war. They hit and run away. In the previous months things were not too good but we experienced some form of calm; only to witness what happened yesterday (Friday).
“Even those they were ransacking their houses, the council ward in question they moved back to their homes and things appear to be calm before this attack.”
He further stated that “Some people were kidnapped, one Igbo man and his two children were kidnapped. In the recent days apart from what happened yesterday we have pockets of kidnappings; kidnapping is is gradually resurfacing in the area.
“They are the local terrorists. I no longer call them bandits because I’m seeing hands/elements of terrorism in their activities. So to me I classify them as terrorists now. Even though they are terrorists within, they have external forces; those who are sponsoring and helping them to perpetrate the acts. The locals (militia) are the major people that are doing it.”
He however urges the people of the area to remain calm, adding that “The Government of Rev Dr Hyacinth Alia is committed to keeping our societies safe from such acts. They should be rest assured that very soon these acts will be a thing in the past”, he reassured.
