Gunmen Kill Nine in Fresh Benue Attack

Barely a week after the deadly Palm Sunday attack in Plateau State, another wave of violence has struck Benue, leaving at least nine people dead in Mbalom community, Gwer East Local Government Area.

The Director-General of the Benue State Bureau for Homeland Security, Air Commodore Jacob Gbamwuan (rtd), confirmed the incident. Local authorities said nine bodies have been recovered, while one other victim is currently receiving treatment in critical condition.

Chairman of Gwer East LGA, Timothy Adi, disclosed that he had just visited the injured victim at the hospital.

A resident, Philip, recounted that the attackers first invaded the community in the early hours of Saturday but were resisted by local youths and forced to retreat. However, the assailants returned later that night and carried out the deadly attack.

According to him, the community had received intelligence about the planned assault days earlier and had alerted relevant authorities. He added that Mbalom residents had noticed suspicious movements of armed men before the incident.

Philip also explained that women and children had been evacuated ahead of the attack, which was why the victims were mostly men.

Mbalom has a history of violent attacks. In April 2018, gunmen killed two Catholic priests and 17 worshippers during a morning mass at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in the same community.

Reacting to the latest killings, Governor Hyacinth Alia condemned the incident, describing it as “heinous” and unacceptable. In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, the governor said the attack was a direct threat to the peace and security of the state.

He also expressed concern over what he described as a pattern of targeted attacks in parts of Benue, assuring residents that such acts of violence would not be allowed to continue unchecked.

The governor extended his condolences to the families of the victims and reiterated his administration’s commitment to tackling insecurity across the state.