40 feared dead in Benue militia gangs clash

At least 40 persons, including a family of seven, were feared dead in clashes between militia gangs in Gbagir community in Ukum local government area of Benue State on Tuesday.

A military source told journalists on Wednesday in Makurdi that security operatives had been deployed to restore normalcy.

He urged residents of the community to furnish the operatives with credible information to succeed in the operation.

The source said: “It was militiamen that were killing themselves.

“One or two persons might have been caught in the crossfire, but the majority of the people that were killed were members of militia gangs in the area.

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“The villagers know those carrying out this dastardly act but are shielding them.

“We saw several corpses. Suspected armed herdsmen did not carry out the attack. It was a clash between two local militia groups.”

The spokesman for the state police command, Sewuese Anene, also confirmed the clash.

He, however, said only eight corpses had so far been recovered from the scene.

The spokesman added that additional operatives had been deployed to restore peace and order in the community.

Anene also dismissed reports of ongoing mass burial in the community.