BENUE State government said security had been beefed up in the Buruku Local Government Area of the state following the attack on Mkgovur community in the council area on Saturday which led to the death of seven people.
The police, through the command’s spokesperson, ASP Moses Yamu, who had earlier disclosed that one person was killed, however, told the Tribune Online on Sunday that the death toll had risen to four.
The special adviser on security to the state governor, Samuel Ortom, Colonel Edward Jando (retd), made the disclosure in a statement on Sunday, saying already the reinforcements had arrived their destination.
He stated that his office received reports of the killing of five persons on Sunday, including a tax collector, whose bodies had been recovered in the area.
Jando said the governor condemned the attacks as well as extended his condolences to the families of the deceased, while praying to God to grant them the fortitude to bear their loss.
According to the statement issued by the media adviser to Ortom, Mr Tahav Argezua, the governor assured that necessary measures had been put in place to forestall the escalation of the crises, adding that security personnel already deployed to several parts of the state, including Logo, Ukum, Katsina-Ala, Tarka, Gwer, Gwer West and Agatu had been put on alert to embark on patrols to check security threa.
Jando also stated that the security operatives had also received instructions to track and arrest the attackers, even as he appealed to sole administrators yet to set up security committees to do so without delay.