Five persons including two police officers, a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Federal University Wukari, Fred Akaayar and two others were reportedly killed at Jootar, Mbaterem, Mbayenge Council Ward of Ukum local government area of Benue State by gunmen in separate attacks.
The police spokesman, Catherine Anene who confirmed the killings said she was yet to get the details of what led to the killing of the police officers and could not confirm the Jootar killings.
Our correspondent gathered from residents that three friends, Aondoayange Apever; Kachina Shiaondo and the lecturer around 7:00pm sat at a drinking joint close to a Federal Quarantine Check Point and three persons came on a motorcycle, one shot them and they took off. He said there was increase in attacks and killings in Mbaterem, after a member of the Narrow Way Tent Church identified as Philip was kidnapped in Sankera and released after a huge ransom was paid.
While appealing to Governor Samuel Ortom to deploy more security personnel to the area they recalled a similar incident where a popular politician, Baso Anza, was killed in the same town.
Despite the curfew and ban on motorcycles and cabs popularly called ‘Duck Nyash’ by the Benue State Security Council in Sankera axis, killings have continued.
