Gunmen defy curfew, kill 18 in fresh Benue attack

Gunmen suspected to be bandits invaded the Mbacher community in Mbacher Council Ward, Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State on Friday night, killing 18 people. According to sources from the local government, the attack occurred around 11:00 pm, despite a curfew imposed by the state government. The bandits reportedly gathered the villagers under the pretense of addressing them before opening fire.

Two weeks ago, Benue State Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia imposed a 6:00 pm to 6:00 am curfew in the Sankera axis, which includes Katsina-Ala, Ukum, and Logo, following a violent protest in Ukum LGA. This area has been a hotspot for criminal activities.

Military personnel recovered 18 bodies on Saturday morning. Katsina-Ala LGA Chairman Justine Shaku confirmed the incident, stating that the attack was completed before the military could arrive. Shaku said they received a distress call around 11:00 pm that a group of terrorists was moving from house to house, forcing people to follow them. Despite mobilizing military officers from Tor Doonga, the remote location meant they arrived too late.

Shaku reported that several people were wounded during the attack, and he initially heard there were 17 fatalities, but later confirmed 18 deaths. He described the gunmen’s actions as “local terrorism” and noted their tactics resembled guerrilla warfare. Shaku emphasized that the perpetrators are local, though they have external support.

Attempts to reach Police Public Relations Officer Catherine Anene were unsuccessful, but Joseph Har, the Special Adviser on Security and Internal Affairs to Governor Hyacinth Alia, confirmed the incident.