No fewer than 18 people have been killed by gunmen suspected to be terrorist groups at Mbacher Council Ward in Katsina Ala Local Government Area LGA of Benue state.

Our correspondent gathered that the bandits attacked Mbacher council ward on Friday night killed their victims, wounded two people and kidnapped many others.

When contacted, the Special Adviser to Governor Hyacinth Alia on Security and Internal Affairs, Chief Joseph Har PSP, confirmed the incident but said he is yet to get details.

Meanwhile, Chairman Katsina-Ala LGA, Hon Justine Shaku, has also confirmed the killing of 18 people saying it was carried out by terrorist bandits.

Shaku said “At about 11pm yesterday (Friday), July 19, 2024, we receive a distress call from the villagers that some group of terrorists mobilized themselves and were moving house to house forcing people to follow them.

“I quickly mobilize the military officers that are in Tor Donga and being a remote area, before they could reach there the people were killed. Some were wounded.

“Yesterday night I was told it was 17 but today 18 bodies have been confirmed dead. All of them were assembled in one place and killed.

“This morning, I, the assembly member and adviser on legislative matters held a meeting and we communicated the development to the Commissioner of Police.

“He is on his way coming. Since he is coming we asked the villagers to wait let him join us here in Katsina-Ala town before we visit the scene.

“It is a gorilla war. They hit and run away.

The Chairman while lamenting the killing of innocent lives in the state noted that they were beginning to experience relative peace and calm within the month of July only to witness what happened yesterday.

“In the month of June the security situation was very bad but this month we have not witness such attack. Even those they were ransacking their houses, the council ward in question they moved back to their homes and things appear to be calm before this attack.”

He also confirmed that some people were kidnapped including one Igbo man and his two children.

“In the recent days apart from what happened yesterday we have pockets of kidnappings, Kidnapping is also resurfacing in the area.

The Chairman said the perpetrators are the local torriorsts, “I no longer call them bandits because I’m seeing hands/elements of terrorism in their activities. So to me I classify them as terrorists now. There are terrorists within though they have external forces, those who are sponsoring and helping them to perpetrate the acts. But the locals are the the major people that are doing it.”

He urged the people to remain calm as the Government of Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia is committed in keeping the societies safe from such acts.

He said they should be rest assured that very soon, insecurity will be a thing of the past. (Saturday Sun)

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