At least five people are feared dead after suspected gunmen launched a fresh attack on Adija village, Apa Local Government Area of Benue State, on Sunday.
This latest incident adds to a string of killings that have plagued the region in recent weeks, leaving residents on edge.
According to a local resident named Adaji, the attackers, believed to be bandits, stormed the village and opened fire indiscriminately. The victims, he said, were primarily young people.
While details remain unclear, reports from the Apa Development Association, a cultural group in the area, suggest a slightly different picture. The association’s leader, Eche Akpoko, stated that five youths went missing after the attack, with three bodies recovered so far. The fate of the remaining two remains unknown.
Akpoko decried the lack of visible government action to address the ongoing violence. He highlighted the attackers’ apparent freedom to operate from nearby bushes and forests, allowing them to strike at will.
The local government chairman, Ochayi Alidu, confirmed the attack, stating that authorities initially found two bodies. Three missing individuals were later located on Monday, bringing the total number of feared dead to five.
Efforts to reach the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene, for comment were unsuccessful, as she reportedly had not yet received a report on the
