By PETER DURU, Makurdi

No fewer that seven persons including members of the newly formed Community Volunteer Guards were Thursday evening shot dead by armed men in a moving car suspected to be members of the Azonto criminal gang in Tor Donga, Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state.

The attack also left five others including a Reverend Father from Mbatseer community, injured and currently receiving treatment in a public hospital.

Confirming the attack in a telephone interview on Friday, the Chairman of Katsina-Ala LGA, Mr. Alfred Atera said the bandits stormed the community at about 5pm.

He said: “The bandits came to Tor Donga yesterday evening and killed seven persons. They killed Community Volunteer Guards members, injured two of them, they then killed some other persons too on their way as they shot sporadically.

“The five injured persons are currently in the hospital including a Reverend Father from Mbatseer community who was going to Tor Donga. They met him, shot at him and killed the person in the car with him.

“The incident happened around 5pm. They are the final reminant of Azonto army according to the Volunteer Guard member that they saw one Santer who was driving the car that they came in with.

"From reports, the Volunteer Guards members blocked the road when they saw them but they don’t have anything to protect themselves so they ran away.

"All the security agencies have been informed; the police, the Operation Whirl Stroke, OPWS and the Security Adviser to the Governor have all been informed.

“We are on top of it and we are doing our best to ensure that we get them. You know that this is something that we have never experienced for a long time now. The residents are afraid. We’re making sure that we reassure them of their safety.”

Meanwhile a military source who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed that the attack was carried out by armed men in a moving vehicle.

According to him, “The unknown gunmen in a moving vehicle, on Thursday at about 4:40 pm at Tor Donga in Katsina-Ala LGA, forced themselves through the vigilante check point along Katsina-Ala/Tor Donga road.

“It was gathered that troops of OPWS who were alerted about the sad development rushed to the area and gave the bandits a hot chase but couldn’t find them.

“They however recovered seven dead bodies and three wounded persons from the scene and they are now responding to treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent, DSP, Catherine Anene said “we have not received that report please.” (Text, excluding headline, courtesy Vanguard)

Update news