At least 25 persons have been killed in an early Saturday morning attack by ‘Unknown Gunmen’ on Imande Mbakange and other neighbouring communities in Mbacher Council Ward of Kastina-Ala Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State.
The attackers reportedly razed many houses and farmlands in the affected communities while inflicting injuries on many during the attack.
Sources confirmed that the gunmen invaded the communities at about 4am when the people were still in bed, shooting sporadically to wake them up from sleep.
According to the source: “The gunshots woke the people from sleep and as they made efforts to flee for their lives, anyone they caught up with was killed.
“As they killed the people, they also set their houses and nearby farmland on fire. As we speak the place is like a war zone. The communities have been deserted and residents of neighbouring communities are also fleeing for fear of being attacked.”
Chairman of Kastina-Ala LGA, Mr. Alfred Atera, who condemned the attack, appealed to security agencies to intensify patrols in the communities to end the carnage.
In a statement by his Media aide, Mr. Tsar Tartor, the chairman said: “In the early hours of Saturday, there was an attack on Imande Mbakange community and other neighbouring communities in Mbacher Council Ward by unknown gunmen which claimed at least 25 lives and left several others injured and houses burnt with properties worth millions.
“The Chairman describe the senseless killings by the unknown gunmen as inhumane and barbaric and calls on all security formations to double their efforts in combating the renewed attacks as a matter of urgency. The chairman calls on security operatives to intensify surveillance in the areas prone to attacks to avert further breakdown of law within the Local Government.
“The Chairman while expressing his profound sympathy to families of the victims, promises to continue to support and implement every lawful means in a bid to permanently end the senseless killings of innocent people of Katsina-Ala Local Government and all her inhabitants.”
Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police (SP), Catherine Anene, confirmed the attacks, but said she was yet to receive full details of the incident.