...CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING.>>
The death toll in Chito community of Ukum LGA of Benue State where rival militia groups are reportedly fighting a supremacy battle has risen to 15 people.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!DAILY POST gathered that rival armed militia groups from Ukum LGA are fighting a fierce battle over the control of 15 gang members.
Two factional militia groups known as Chain and Full Force who are armed to the teeth are the protagonists in this gang warfare that has claimed the lives of 15 people.
A local source, who spoke to journalists on the phone on Sunday, said that the Full Force group engaged the services of another group to help eliminate the leader of the Chain group.
The source who spoke under anonymity, said, “It is a fight for supremacy, the kingpins on that side of Ukum LGA, Chain and Full Force, wanted their operational head eliminated.
“Both of them were at each other’s necks. Full Force employed the services of another banditry group to help kill the leader of the Chain bandit gang, unfortunately, we learnt that he got wind of the plan and laid an ambush.
“They opened fire and killed all of them. Some said they were 10 while others said they were 15 in number. It was an internal fight for supremacy.
“The locals ran away because they were afraid of reprisal. The villagers feared that in the course of reprisal, they might be affected despite being innocent.”
Ukum LGA which is part of the Sankera district of the state has become a hotspot for violence and banditry in recent times with reports of killings, kidnappings and maiming of innocent people nearly every other day.
Recall that two high-profile indigenes of the local government, the state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Matthew Abo, and a former chairman of the local government, Washima Erukaa, were abducted recently within the space of 24 hours.
While the commissioner regained his freedom after 11 days, the 81-year-old former chairman was not lucky as he died in his abductors’ hands.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the state Police Command, SP Catherine Anene, said the matter had yet to be reported to the police.
