North-central: Gunmen kill four, injure five in market attack

At least four people have been killed and five others injured after suspected armed bandits attacked Abeda Shitile community in Logo Local Government Area of Benue State, residents have said.

The attack occurred on Tuesday as traders were preparing to close the community market, which holds every Tuesday.

A youth leader, James Gbor, announced the incident on his social media page, identifying the four people reportedly killed as Msoo Chan, Suurshater Iornumbe, Terkimbi Ikyereve and Pastor Terungwa Hungwa.

He also named the five injured persons as Gangera Kumater, Helen Iortyom, Terungwa Tsetim, Kumater Awua and Orkertyo Iortyom.

An eyewitness, who asked not to be named for security reasons, told PREMIUM TIMES that the attackers arrived on motorcycles and opened fire on people at the market.

The witness said the gunmen continued shooting at people they encountered along the road as they left the area.

He alleged that a Mobile Police unit stationed in the community did not intervene during the attack, although officers fired shots into the air.

Another resident, who also requested anonymity, suspected that the attack was retaliatory.

The resident said the armed men had repeatedly visited the community in the past but usually took belongings, money or motorcycles without killing residents.

He alleged that the latest attack followed the killing of a suspected armed group leader known as Swaga by security operatives a few weeks earlier.

The resident said the attackers appeared more interested in killing people than stealing property during Tuesday’s assault.

The circumstances surrounding the attack and the residents’ claims about its motive could not be independently established.

Efforts to reach Peter Aondongu, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, for comments were unsuccessful. He hadn’t answered calls to his telephone line as of the time of filing this report.

Previous attacks in Logo

The latest attack adds to recurring violence in Logo Local Government Area, where residents have repeatedly reported attacks on communities and security personnel.

READ ALSO: Benue police rescue 29 kidnap victims, arrest 34 foreigners

PREMIUM TIMES reported on 15 September that two newly deployed Mobile Police officers were killed in an ambush while escorting the Divisional Police Officer of Ayilamo back to the community.

The incident occurred on 14 September, four days after suspected armed attackers invaded Ayilamo on 10 September, killing four police officers and seven civilians.

The police confirmed the deaths, bringing the number of officers killed in the two attacks to six within four days.

Residents had expressed concern over the movement of armed men through forests and abandoned settlements in the area, calling for sustained security operations to prevent further attacks.

The latest killings in Abeda Shitile are likely to renew concerns over the security situation in Logo and the safety of residents in its vulnerable communities.