By Tivday Myom

Gunmen have killed three mourners and abducted two others in Sati-Ikov Council Ward of Ushongo Local Government Area, Benue State.
The victims were reportedly attacked on Saturday night while returning from a burial, deepening concerns over escalating insecurity in the area.

Armed men on Saturday night attacked a group of mourners in Sati-Ikov Council Ward of Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue State, killing three people and abducting two others.

Residents who spoke on Sunday said the victims were returning from a burial when they were ambushed near the community. A local source, who requested anonymity due to security concerns, said the attackers were suspected to be local militias operating in the area.

“Some mourners returning from a burial were attacked close to our community on Saturday night. Three of them were killed, while two others a male and a female, were kidnapped,” the source said.

Confirming the incident, the lawmaker representing Ushongo Constituency in the Benue State House of Assembly, Simon Gabo, expressed concern over the increasing activities of armed groups in the area.

Gabo identified those killed as Bem Msughter, Aondo Chia, and Sunday Terwase, all from different communities within the ward. He also named the abducted victims as Aondongu Amos, a POS operator, and Mrs Arinze, an Igbo patent medicine trader.

According to the lawmaker, the community has witnessed repeated attacks in recent weeks. He disclosed that another three persons were killed in a similar incident about two weeks ago.

“I received a call around 4 am informing me that mourners returning from a burial ran into armed men. They were attacked, three killed, and two kidnapped. Such incidents have been recurring,” Gabo said.

He alleged that the attackers often cross from neighbouring Katsina-Ala Local Government Area to carry out assaults before retreating, taking advantage of the difficult terrain and forested environment.

Gabo added that the incident had been reported to the police and that security personnel had been deployed to the area.

Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.

The latest attack has heightened fear among residents, as communities in the area continue to grapple with recurring violence linked to armed groups.