10 killed in communal clashes in Benue

No fewer than ten persons were killed in separate incidents in two communities of Katisna-Ala and Ukum Local Government areas of Benue State.

Among the dead was a woman who was heading for a wake keep but was hit by a stray bullet at Ukum local government.

It was reliably gathered that hoodlums beat to death five persons on Wednesday night after they invaded some settlements in Mbayongo District of Katsina-Ala local council of Benue State.

It was further learnt that another five persons were also killed on Thursday night in Ayati Village, Ukum local government by gunmen.

In the Katsina-Ala killing, sources revealed  that none of the deceased victims  had gun shot marks on their bodies but only rashes suggesting that they must have been beaten to death by their assailants in their homes.

It was further  gathered that three of the persons killed were from Nagu settlement, one at Tse Gyudu and another victim at Tse Weryina settlement which are smaller adjoining villages to Gbishe Ako.

For the Ukum killing Thursday  night, sources said some gunmen who rode on mortocycles stormed the village at about 8pm and positioned themselves strategically before shooting sporadically at anyone in sight.

A prominent politician from  Ayati village who did not want his name to be mentioned disclosed that a woman who was going for a funeral wake was hit by stray bullet and died while four other men were also shot dead by the yet to be identified gunmen.

It was gathered that several  other persons sustained various degrees of injury from a strayed bullets and were rushed to undisclosed hospitals for treatment while the remains of the dead had been deposited at morgue of the General Hospital in the area.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Moses Yamu who confirmed the killing in the two communities however, said no arrest had been made yet but investigation was in progress.