‘Four Were Killed’ – Police Confirms Bandits Attack In Ex-Gov Ortom’s Hometown

Armed men suspected to be bandits have attacked Abaushwa community in Nzorov Council Ward, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, killing four people and injuring several others.

The attack reportedly occurred around midnight on Monday when residents were asleep.

Naija News reports that Abaushwa is the hometown of former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom.

Residents said the attackers invaded the community and broke into the homes of their victims before allegedly killing them.

A community source, who spoke about the incident, said the attack was carried out without any provocation.

The source said three people were killed during the initial attack, while several others sustained injuries.

According to him, the injured victims were rushed to the General Hospital in Gbajimba for treatment, but one of them later died, bringing the number of fatalities to four.

“They came and attacked the community without any provocation, killing people in their sleep. They forced open the doors of their victims and murdered them inside their houses.

“Three persons were killed during the attack, while several others sustained injuries. The injured were taken to the General Hospital in Gbajimba, but one of them later died, bringing the death toll to four.

“Several people are still missing, and search efforts are ongoing. We hope they will be found alive,” he said.

The attack has reportedly caused fear among residents, with efforts ongoing to locate those who are still missing.

A former Executive Secretary of the Benue State Teaching Service Board, Dr Frank Kyungun, who is a native of the area, visited the community alongside former Governor Ortom and other prominent indigenes.

Kyungun described the incident as an unprovoked and barbaric attack on the community.

“It was an unprovoked attack by armed herdsmen. They came at about midnight and launched a heavy assault on the community. They killed four people and left several others injured. Those wounded have been taken to the General Hospital in Gbajimba,” he said.

He said the delegation visited the community to sympathise with the victims and their families and urged residents to remain calm while security agencies investigate the incident.

“We accompanied the former governor to sympathise with our people and urged them to remain calm and allow the police to carry out their investigations,” he added.

Kyungun expressed concern over the repeated attacks on communities in the area, saying residents had made efforts to avoid conflict despite the challenges they faced.

“What happened is deeply unfortunate. Our people resolved long ago to stop eating beef, and it is not even sold in our markets because we wanted to avoid any conflict. Even when our farmlands are destroyed by grazing cattle, our people have continued to exercise restraint.

“We cannot understand why innocent people should be killed without any provocation. It is a sad and painful development,” he said.

The Chairman of Guma Local Government Area, Morris Orwough, also condemned the attack.

In a statement issued by his Personal Assistant on Communication and Strategy, Ernest Tortiv, Orwough described the incident as heartbreaking and unacceptable.

The council chairman expressed condolences to the families of those killed and prayed for the quick recovery of those who sustained injuries.

Orwough also disclosed that security personnel had been deployed to Abaushwa to restore peace, protect residents and prevent further attacks.

He urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information that could assist in identifying those responsible for the attack.

Confirming the incident, the Benue State Police Command said four people were killed in the attack.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Peter Aondona, said investigations had commenced, and security personnel were working to apprehend the attackers.

“I can confirm that there was an attack in Guma LGA in which four persons were killed by suspected bandits. Investigation is ongoing, and efforts are being intensified to ensure that the perpetrators are arrested and brought to justice,” Vanguard quoted Aondona as saying.