A former ward chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), James Akase, along with three others, has been killed in separate attacks by armed men in Benue State’s Gwer West and Guma Local Government Areas.
The attacks, which took place on Monday, left several others injured and forced many residents to flee their homes. Eyewitnesses described the assaults as coordinated and targeted strikes on rural communities by unknown gunmen.
In Gwer West, Akase, a native of Tse-Defam in the Mba’akov Vengav area of Avihijime Council Ward, was reportedly ambushed and killed while returning to his previously deserted home to collect food for his displaced family. The area had earlier been overrun by armed invaders, leading to the evacuation of residents.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of Gwer West LGA, Victor Ormin, disclosed that another community member was kidnapped on the same day but later released after a ransom was paid by family members.
In Guma LGA, three more victims were killed in two separate villages. Bartholomew Ikornya was shot dead in Tse Ikpe Ago, along the Yogbo-Gyungu Aze road in Mbayer/Yandev Council Ward. In a separate attack, Gabriel Korlaga and another man identified simply as Kunde were murdered in Tse Kologa, Mbagune, under Nyiev Council Ward.
Local sources report that the attacks have triggered fear and mass displacement in the affected areas, with survivors currently receiving medical treatment in nearby hospitals.
Efforts to reach the Benue State Police Command for official comment were unsuccessful, as the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Catherine Anene, did not respond to calls at the time of filing this report.