Three mourners killed, two abducted as gunmen attack burial returnees in Benue

Gunmen on Saturday night ambushed a group of mourners returning from a burial in Sati-Ikov Council Ward of Ushongo Local Government Area, killing three people and abducting two others.

Residents who spoke with journalists on Sunday said the attackers struck near the community, targeting individuals on their way back from the burial ceremony.

A local resident, who requested anonymity over fears of retaliation, recounted the incident: “Some mourners who were returning from a burial were attacked close to our community, Sati-Ikov, on Saturday night by local militias.

“Three of them were killed, and two others, a male and a female, were kidnapped.”

Confirming the attack, the lawmaker representing Ushongo Constituency in the Benue State House of Assembly, Simon Gabo, condemned the persistent violence linked to local militias in the area.

He said the community had come under repeated attacks over the past two weeks, resulting in multiple deaths.

Gabo identified the victims as Bem Msughter from Mbakyombo, Daav-Ikov; Aondo Chia from Mbamegh, Daa-Ikov; and Sunday Terwase of Mbakyor, Daav-Ikov.

He added that two other mourners—Aondongu Amos, a POS operator based in Sati-Ikov, and Mrs. Arinze, an Igbo patent medicine trader—were abducted during the attack.

The lawmaker, who also serves as Deputy Majority Chief Whip of the Assembly, noted that a similar incident had claimed three lives in the same community just two weeks earlier.

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He said, “I received a call from my people today (Sunday) at about 4 am that yesterday (Saturday) night, they went for a burial and on their way back, they ran into armed men.

“The armed men shot and killed three of them and collected their bags. They also robbed some residents there and kidnapped two people. The victims were all young men.

“Apart from that, we have had one or two such incidents every other week.”

Gabo further alleged that the attackers typically infiltrate the area from neighbouring Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, using difficult terrain to their advantage.

“So they cross from there to our side, attack and return to their side. It is a mountainous area with large forests,” the deputy majority chief whip said.

He disclosed that the matter had been reported to the police, adding that the Divisional Police Officer had already deployed security personnel to the affected community on Sunday morning.

Efforts to obtain a response from the spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, were unsuccessful as calls to her phone went unanswered at the time of filing this report.

The latest attack has deepened anxiety among residents, as insecurity continues to escalate across parts of the state.

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