Residents of Owukpa, Benue State, were gripped with fear on Thursday, September 18, 2025, after a man was allegedly hacked to death by a suspected mentally unstable individual in the Ipiege–Igah-Uroko axis of Itabono.
Eyewitnesses said the assailant, believed to hail from Otukpa-Ukalegu in Itabono Ward 1, trekked about five kilometres to the scene before launching the deadly attack. Armed with a machete, he reportedly killed the victim and went on to vandalize properties in the area.
The incident sparked outrage as videos circulating online showed irate youths retaliating by setting ablaze the suspect’s residence and nearby buildings.
While some community members demanded the suspect’s immediate arrest and interrogation to ascertain whether he acted alone or under influence, others called for his permanent restraint to forestall further violence.
Security personnel have since been deployed to Ipiege and its environs to restore normalcy, with calm gradually returning to the community.
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