Armed men reportedly attacked mourners returning from a burial in Sati-Ikov Council Ward of Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue State, on Saturday, killing three persons and abducting two others.
Residents who spoke to journalists on Sunday said the assailants ambushed the victims near the community, throwing the area into panic.
According to The PUNCH, a resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, said the victims were attacked while returning from a burial ceremony.
“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,” the source said.
Confirming the incident, the lawmaker representing Ushongo Constituency in the Benue State House of Assembly, Simon Gabo, condemned the recurring attacks by armed groups in the area.
He described the situation as alarming, noting that the community had witnessed repeated violence in recent weeks.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
Gabo identified the deceased as Bem Msughter from Mbakyombo, Daav-Ikov; Aondo Chia from Mbamegh, Daa-Ikov; and Sunday Terwase of Mbakyor, Daav-Ikov.
He added that the abducted victims were Aondongu Amos, a POS operator in Sati-Ikov, and Mrs Arinze, an Igbo patent medicine trader in the community.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that the lawmaker, who is also the Deputy Majority Chief Whip of the Assembly, lamented that his constituency had become a hotspot of violence.
According to him, at least three people were also killed in a similar attack two weeks ago.
“Apart from that, we have had one or two such incidents every other week,” he added.
Gabo alleged that the attackers often cross from neighbouring areas to carry out assaults.
“So they cross from there to our side, attack and return to their side. It is a mountainous area with large forests,” he said, adding that the assailants were believed to come from Katsina-Ala Local Government Area.
The lawmaker said he had reported the incident to security agencies, noting that the Divisional Police Officer had deployed personnel to the community on Sunday morning.
However, the State command of the Nigeria Police Force has yet to issue any official statement regarding the development as of the time of filing this report.