4  killed,  many others injured in Benue cult clash

From Attah Ede, Makurdi 

Heavy fight that broke out between two rival cult groups in Wadata area of Makurdi, Benue State, has claimed four lives with many others left with various degree of gunshots and axe injuries.

The Nations News Nigeria gathered that two people were said to have been hacked to death in riverside, one other person was reportedly shot dead at the Wadata police barrack  and another person gunned down at the wadata rice mill, all of Makurdi, the state capital.

An eyewitness who spoke to The Nations News Nigeria anonymity, said that the trouble started when two cult gangs belonging to Red and Back in the area engaged in a battle of supremacy which resulted in the said casualties.

The eyewitness who simply gave his name as  Sunday (surname withheld) explained that the clash started on Sunday morning after the red confraternity engaged one of the blacks in a heated argument, resulting to fightings

He said the argument lead to serious fight and by the time the fight was over, two persons were found dead at the riverside.

Aboh said that another person and his neighbour whose name was given as Emeka, was also killed at Wadata police barracks Makurdi Sunday evening after he was attacked by the rival group in retaliation.

Narrating how it all started, Sunday said: “this morning about 11am, I went to look for my neighbour to collect pressing iron and all of sudden I started hearing sound of gunshots.  When I enquired, I  was told that cult boys are fighting at the riverside. 

“The next minutes, my other friend called me to inform me that they have killed Vicks and his second. I couldn’t believe it because I never knew he was a cultist despite our closeness.

“Just this evening we were attending a meeting at the police barrack Wadata, when some of the boys (cult boys) traced Emeka to where he was attending the meet, attacked and killed him. They also proceeded to the rice mill and kill another person.

“The victims are all my friends, I was even calling one of them on phone to come and see what was happening, only for me to be told  that he was among those killed 

“As am talking to you, the area has been deserted . Iam calling on the commissioner of police to deploy his men to the wadata are to avert further killings”, .

Efforts to get the reaction of the Benue State police.command’s public relations officer, PPRO,.CSP Catherine Anene at the time of filing this report proved abortive as she couldn’t respond to text messages or calls.