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A traditional ruler, his wife, son and two other residents have been killed in Olegabulu community of Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State, in the latest wave of violence in the state.
Daily Trust reported that the attack occurred on Thursday night when gunmen riding on two motorcycles stormed the palace and opened fire on the occupants.
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Residents said the attackers moved through the community without raising suspicion* before heading straight to the residence of the traditional ruler.
A local resident, who asked not to be named for security reasons, said the gunmen appeared familiar with the area.
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“They came in like normal people, greeting in our dialect, so nobody suspected anything,” he said. “But immediately they entered the traditional ruler’s house, they opened fire.”
The attackers reportedly killed the ruler, his wife and son inside the palace before proceeding to a nearby compound, where two other residents were shot dead. One person was said to have sustained injuries during the incident.
“They operated for about 20 minutes,” another witness said. “After attacking the palace, they moved to another house and killed two more people before fleeing.”
The Chairman of Agatu Local Government, Melvin Ejeh, confirmed the incident. “It is true the incident happened. Five people were killed and one person was injured during the attack,” he said, adding that security personnel have since visited the community.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, Udeme Edet, said she had yet to receive full details of the attack.
The latest killings add to a pattern of violent attacks in Benue, where rural communities have faced repeated assaults by gunmen in recent months.
In a separate incident, the police said they arrested two suspects in connection with the killing of a National Youth Service Corps member, Ben Agir, in Buruku Local Government Area.
Mr Agir was reportedly killed by a mob last Sunday night near the Buruku Local Government Secretariat after being accused of stealing a motorcycle.
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Confirming the incident, the police spokesperson, Ms Edet, said the accusation was false. “The deceased was accused by a group of hoodlums of stealing a motorcycle and was subsequently mobbed to death without any investigation,” she said.
“But preliminary findings revealed that the accusation was false, as documents relating to the motorcycle indicated that the deceased was its rightful owner.”
She identified the arrested suspects as Terkimbi Abumswende and Joshua Adagim, adding that another suspect remains at large.
“Two suspects… were arrested in connection with the crime, but another suspect remains at large,” she said, noting that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect.
The Buruku Local Government chairman, Raymond Aondoakura, said the vigilante group allegedly involved in the killing has been suspended pending investigation.
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