Bandits kill, burn seven travellers in Benue

Benue State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, on Wednesday said that seven persons believed to be of Fulani extraction were killed by irate youths in Gboko.

Owoseni who disclosed this while briefing newsmen in his office said the victims were said to be travelling either to Okene or Taraba State when criminals attacked, killed and burnt them to ashes.

Owoseni said, “We got information around 11am this morning that some hoodlums believed to be of Tiv stock between 9.30am and 10am stormed a garage in Gboko where they attacked seven people believed to be of Fulani extraction, killed and burnt them.’

“The passengers were said to be in the park where they were trying to board a commercial vehicle to Okene or Taraba, police in the area of the attack got information and rushed to the place but the criminals embarked on hurling stones at the police.”

Owoseni who said some people have been arrested to help the police with useful information condemned the act and warned that the command would not hesitate to pull the full weight of the law on anyone found culpable in any criminal act.

He however said that the crisis did not have any ‘ethnic, religion or political colouration but a pure banditry’.

The police commissioner, however, said that there was intelligence report that some people in and outside the state were planning attack on some communities along Benue and Nasarwa borders.

He added that the people wanted to cash on the recent crisis in Kadarko area of Nasarawa state, adding that the people had acquired sophisticated arms for the action.

“To me this will further escalate the security challenges that we are facing in the state, it is necessary to emphasize that police will not hesitate to deal decisively with criminal elements who want to take advantage of the situation.”

Meanwhile the state government has imposed a dusk to dawn curfew in the troubled Gboko area till further notice.

According to the statement issued by the media adviser to the governor, Mr. Tahav Argezua, the curfew would last from 6pm to 6am from 31 of January till further notice.

He stated that those exempted from the curfew are those on essential service such as hospital staff as well as those who show convincing identification.