Seven persons were killed by some youths in Gboko, Benue State, the incident was confirmed by the State’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni on Wednesday.
Owoseni who disclosed this while briefing newsmen in his office said the victims were said to be traveling either to Okene or Taraba State when criminals attacked, killed and burnt them to ashes.
He further said that policemen in the ancient town promptly raced to the scene of the incident but lamented that the criminals hurled stones at their patrol vehicle.
Owoseni said, “We got information around 11 am this morning that some hoodlums believed to be of Tiv stock between 9.30am and 10 am stormed a garage in Gboko where they attacked seven people believed to be of Fulani extraction, killed and burnt them.’
“The passengers were said to be in the park where they were trying to board a commercial vehicle to Okene or Taraba, police in the area of the attack got information and rushed to the place but the criminals embarked on hurling stones at the police.”
Owoseni who said some people have been arrested to help the police with useful information condemned the act and warned that the command would not hesitate to pull the full weight of the law on anyone found culpable in any criminal act.
He, however, said that the crisis did not have any ‘ethnic, religion or political coloration but a pure banditry’.
The police commissioner, however, said that there was intelligence report that some people in and outside the state were planning an attack on some communities along Benue and Nasarwa borders.
He added that the people wanted to cash on the recent crisis in Kadarko area of Nasarawa state, adding that the people had acquired sophisticated arms for the action.
“To me, this will further escalate the security challenges that we are facing in the state, it is necessary to emphasize that police will not hesitate to deal decisively with criminal elements who want to take advantage of the situation.”
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